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).

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Summary
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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.

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Security Environment
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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.

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Sustained Vigilance
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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.

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EAC Conclusion
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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