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.

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Training Needs
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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.

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Proposed Training Strategy
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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
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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
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ATA

-- Explosives Incident Countermeasures (ATA-282)
-- Rural Border Patrol Ops (ATA-1985)


WAHBA