SECURITY IN JORDAN AND VIP VISITS

UNCLAS AMMAN 002634

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR DS A/S TAYLOR, H A/S KELLY, NEA A/S BURNS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC JO OREP OTRA OVIP PREL
SUBJECT: SECURITY IN JORDAN AND VIP VISITS

REF: A. STATE 74372

B. AMMAN 2594

(SBU) I am very concerned about the security threat posed
to the large and growing volume of USG VIPs traveling
to and through Jordan. Reftel A makes a convincing
case that we are entering a period of sustained,
prolonged, and grave al-Qaeda threats to U.S.
interests. Ref. B references the recent steps
Jordanian authorities have taken against an apparent
Zarqawi/al-Qaeda operation to target critical facilities
in Jordan, including the American Embassy. As a Muslim
Arab state and forthright supporter of U.S. policy in
the region, Jordan is a particularly desirable al-Qaeda
target, tarred as an &apostate regime.8 The general and
Jordan-specific threat environment is juxtaposed against
the swelling numbers of VIP and other travelers transiting
Jordan ) almost inevitably spending one or multiple nights
in Amman's five-star hotels, which are exceptionally
vulnerable soft targets.

(SBU) In the next two weeks, we have ten codels and
two senior military delegations visiting Jordan. The
country team and I know well the importance of providing
unstinting support to these visits. Their success is
crucial to advancing U.S. foreign policy interests. But
the reality is that in this threat environment, we do not
have the resources ) especially FAVs and LAVs ) to move
this volume of visitors around Jordan with the safety the
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) believes is warranted.
Furthermore, the vulnerability of hotels, by their very
nature, is difficult to alter. It is critical that the
security conditions outlined in refs A and B, the latest
Department public announcements on security, and these
particular concerns be relayed directly to prospective
codels and Hill leadership, and that they carefully
reevaluate their travel plans, to include consideration
of other nearby states which could provide staging ground
for trips to Iraq.

(SBU) Without a doubt, VIPs who decide to visit Jordan
will continue to receive the very best support this Embassy
can muster. However, the threat to soft targets
) Amman,s hotels ) is very real. I must be and am equally
concerned about the safety and security of my own staff.
Supporting a codel requires mobilizing a sizeable number of
Embassy staff in and around the hotels, to provide control
and hospitality rooms as well as motor pool support.
I cannot in good conscience order any employee to undertake
any activity that jeopardizes his or her life. We have not
reached that stage, but we could so with little notice.
GNEHM