EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 01/08/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000040 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT. FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/OSAC, CA/OCS, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KHLS MU EAC SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 01/08/2005 REF: A. MSG I/R 005-05 ¶B. MUSCAT 0026 Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4(c). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the core Emergency Action Committee January 8 to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. Members of the EAC noted no substantive changes in the local security environment since the last meeting. Accordingly, the EAC agreed that the Embassy's already heightened security posture and FPCON remain appropriate. End Summary. -------------- Security Environment -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On January 8, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of the core Emergency Action Committee ("EAC") to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. The meeting opened with a discussion of the local and regional security situations; the EAC continued to characterize the former as stable, noting no new threat reporting specific to Oman. ¶3. (SBU) RSO did, however, raise a situation that occurred over the weekend in which two direct-hire employees were harassed by a group of young Omani males upon exiting the parking lot of a local movie theater in one of the employees' privately owned vehicle bearing diplomatic license plates (ref A). The harassment continued with three of the individuals following the employees in a privately registered vehicle, subsequently blocking their path in the parking lot of a hotel restaurant. Per standing guidance, the employees immediately called the Marine on Post One, who instructed them to return to the Embassy where security guards and police would be standing-by for assistance. The employees quickly backed out of the parking lot and proceeded to the Embassy; however, the vehicle which had followed them turned-off on approach to the Embassy, possibly aware of the police presence ahead. RSO is in the process of reporting details of the incident, including vehicle description and license plate number, to the Royal Oman Police. EAC Members cited no other security incidents among their staffs or family members over the weekend, and CONS confirmed that there were no security incidents or security-related queries from the private American citizen community. -------------- Sustained Vigilance -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO reiterated that, despite the relative calm, members of the EAC must continue reinforcing to both their staffs and family members the need for vigilance regarding all aspects of personal security, including the need to maintain a low profile and to remain unpredictable. RSO further re-emphasized the importance of immediately reporting all suspicious activity or security-related incidents -- especially those involving suspected surveillance -- to Post One. -------------- EAC Conclusion -------------- ¶5. (S/NF) The EAC concluded that there have been no substantive changes in previously reported assessments of the local security environment since the last meeting held on January 5 (reftel B),and that the Embassy's FPCON and already heightened security posture remain appropriate. Nonetheless, the EAC remains acutely aware of the need to monitor both the regional and local security and threat environments, and is prepared to take the necessary countermeasures should changes to either occur. AMB, A/DCM, RSO, RMAS, P/E, CONS, A/MGT, DAO, OMC (USDR),and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. BALTIMORE