MEETING IN KUWAIT OF G8 COUNTER TERRORISM ACTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 004356

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT, NEA/ARPI, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KU
SUBJECT: MEETING IN KUWAIT OF G8 COUNTER TERRORISM ACTION
GROUP


Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b),(c),and
(d)


1. (C) As current G-8 President, the UK Embassy in Kuwait
hosted and chaired a meeting of the G-8 Counter Terrorism
Action Group (CTAG) on October 10. Ambassador LeBaron
attended along with other representatives of G-8 diplomatic
missions. British Charge d'Affaires Jamie Bowden gave a G-8
Presidency overview of the current security situation as well
as a Counter Terrorism (CT) assessment of Kuwait. The
embassies of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland were all represented by
their Ambassadors or Deputy Chiefs of Mission.


2. (C) The purpose of the meeting was to collectively review
current CT programs offered to the Kuwaitis by members of the
G-8 and to identify and address any gaps in the training
curriculum. Some attendees, including the Ambassador, the
Italian Ambassador, the German DCM, and the French DCM, gave
brief outlines of bilateral CT programs with Kuwait. The
British CDA noted concerns about the lack of effective CT
coordination among ministries, substandard forensics of
Kuwaiti police, and lenient sentences by the courts in cases
involving terrorists. He noted that the GOK was "open" to
suggestions and "got the message" that terrorists were on
their soil after clashes with extremists in January 2005.


3. (C) The meeting then shifted focus to terrorist financing
and Ambassador LeBaron briefed the group on steps being taken
by the GOK, including drafting a new anti-money laundering
bill aimed at criminalizing terrorist financiers and
increasing intelligence sharing among financial institutions.
The Ambassador also briefed on past and planned ATA
sponsored training. The meeting ended with an agreement to
pass the programs list and suggestions back to CTAG London,
which will produce an overview of the GCC's CT training
situation based on the reports received.
LEBARON