DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2003 ANNUAL

UNCLAS KINSHASA 002969 S/CT FOR REAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER CG SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 301352 ¶1. POST'S RESPONSE TO REFTEL FOLLOWS: A) THE GDRC HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. REPRESENTATIONS ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM ISSUES THROUGHOUT 2003, BUT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN KINSHASA IS WEAK AND CONTROLS ONLY A PORTION OF THE NATIONAL TERRITORY. B) THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN DRC IS SEVERELY DYSFUNCTIONAL. NO TERRORISM-RELATED CASES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN TRIED IN 2003. C) N/A D) THERE IS NO U.S.-DRC EXTRADITION TREATY, BUT THERE ARE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO DOMESTIC PROSECUTION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. E) THE PRESIDENT CONDEMNED INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN A SEPTEMBER 2003 SPEECH HE DELIVERED AT THE UNGA. HE AND TOP GDRC OFFICIALS ISSUED STATEMENTS OF CONDOLENCE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF U.N. OFFICIAL DE MELLO IN IRAQ IN AUGUST 2003. F) THE GDRC UNDERTOOK NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 2003, EITHER DOMESTICALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY. GDRC AGENCIES DID HELP POST INVESTIGATE THREAT INFORMATION TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED. G) THROUGHOUT 2003, THERE WERE REPEATED ALLEGATIONS THAT ELEMENTS WITHIN THE GDRC CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SOME ARMS AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO RWANDAN HUTU GUERRILLAS BASED IN EASTERN CONGO WHO SEEK TO OVERTHROW THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT. H) NO. I) NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. (END TEXT) HOOKS