CT TRAINING STRATEGY FOR UAEG: STRATEGIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001763 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, INL, DS/ATA AND S/CT FBI FOR FBIHQ/ITAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/08 TAGS: PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC SUBJECT: CT TRAINING STRATEGY FOR UAEG: STRATEGIC DIALOGUE FOLLOW-UP REF: A) STATE 16509 B) STATE 71265 ¶1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for Reasons 1.5 (B, D). ¶2. (C) As a "next steps" follow-up to the U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue (see ref A),we have met with UAEG officials and identified UAE law enforcement training needs in counter-terrorism cooperation. Training needs include courses directly addressing counter- terrorism as well as basic law enforcement training to enhance the UAE's ability to combat terrorism and cooperate with us in the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) and the fight against other transnational crimes. We note that enhanced UAEG counter-terrorism capability continues to be a strong U.S. national security interest in that it serves and promotes the U.S.-led GWOT. The UAEG has been a pro-active partner in GWOT. Facilitating CT training for the UAE is a matter of utmost importance to the bilateral relationship. We request the Department's early consideration of our proposed training strategy. -------------- Training Needs -------------- ¶3. (C) USG CT training for the UAEG to-date has been well-received, and Post appreciates the offer of the Terrorism Investigations Training Course (ATA-4173) scheduled for 28 June - 23 July (see septel for Post's formal response to offer). ¶4. (C) Responding to the bilateral Strategic Dialogue "next steps" regarding counter-terrorism cooperation (ref A, pars. 13-14),the UAEG has prioritized continuing CT training needs for law enforcement and, concomitantly, we have identified CT training needs for various UAE agencies. ¶5. (C) Monitoring entry and egress at the UAE's many airports, seaports and land border stations continues to be the UAE's overriding law enforcement weakness. A number of UAEG federal ministries and emirate-level departments, including State Security, the Ministry of Interior and its immigration department, as well as emirate-level civil aviation, police and immigration departments, are all involved in this effort. The UAE Armed Forces physically monitors the land borders, and the UAE's long coastline is patrolled by the UAE Navy and Coast Guard. ¶6. (C) To meet the UAEG's training needs in counter- terrorism and to enhance its ability to cooperate with us in matters of U.S. national security, we propose four ATA training courses, three of which are directly related to border security issues as well as Weapons of Mass Destruction Phase 2 (Note: The WMD Phase 1 was held January 2001. End note.). ¶7. (C) It is Post's opinion that the UAE law enforcement community lacks some fundamental law enforcement skills necessary for effective investigations in counter-terrorism. To increase the efficacy of our previous and future CT training, it is imperative that we supplement the currently existing CT training with training in basic law enforcement. This basic-skills training would greatly enhance the UAE's ability to combat counter-terrorism and cooperate with us in the GWOT and the fight against other transnational crimes. -------------- Proposed Training Strategy -------------- ¶8. (C) We propose a 3-year training strategy to accomplish the objectives of protecting U.S. national security interests in fighting the GWOT and meeting UAEG CT and basic law enforcement needs so that they can ably help us achieve this end: 2003 -------------- ATA -- Terror Investigations (ATA-4173 -- Ref B) -- Airport Security FBI [Note: The following schedule has been coordinated with FBIHQ/International Training and Assistance Unit (ITAU),pending INL approval and funding, i.e., travel and per diem. End note.] -- Interview and Interrogation (within 3 months) -- Fingerprint Recovery and Analysis Program (within 6 months) -- Organized Crime Undercover Ops (within 9 months) 2004 -------------- ATA -- Marine Law Enforcement (ATA-1672) -- Weapons of Mass Destruction Phase 2 (WMD Phase 1 was conducted in January 2001) FBI (Note: Order of the following courses for 2004-2005 TBD in coordination with FBIHQ/ITAU. End note.) -- Forensics Lab Training -- Basic Street Crime Training -- Immigration/Border Security -- Street Crimes Investigation -- Victim's Assistance/Witness Protection 2005 -------------- ATA -- Explosives Incident Countermeasures (ATA-282) -- Rural Border Patrol Ops (ATA-1985) WAHBA