EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 04/09/2005

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000584 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/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 - 04/09/2005 REF: A. SECSTATE 065384 ¶B. MUSCAT 0576 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart. Reason: 1.4(c). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Deputy Chief of Mission chaired a meeting of the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) April 9 to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. Members 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 Situation -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On April 9, the Deputy Chief of Mission chaired a meeting of the EAC to review the Embassy's security posture following the local weekend. The meeting opened with a discussion of the local security situation, which the EAC continued to characterize as stable. Members noted no/no new threat reporting specific to Oman. Likewise, the EAC cited no security incidents among their staffs or family members over the weekend, with no reported security incidents or security-related queries from the private American citizen community. -------------- Events -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The EAC reviewed upcoming events, to include visits by Ambassador Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, from April 8-10, and the USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) to Port Sultan Qaboos, from April 12-16. Security for the visits is being coordinated with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and ROP Coast Guard, respectively. -------------- Terrorist Tactics/Sustained Vigilance -------------- ¶4. (S/NF) Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO led a review of reftel A, addressing how a facility's security posture impacts terrorist target selection and attack execution. Noting applicability of the paragraph on "altering the security posture" to personal security practices, RSO reiterated that members of the EAC must continue reinforcing to both their staffs and family members the need to avoid predictable patterns. RSO further re-emphasized the importance of immediately reporting all suspicious activity or security-related incidents to Post One. -------------- 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 April 6 (reftel B). Accordingly, members agreed that the Embassy's already heightened security posture and FPCON remain appropriate. Embassy Muscat 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. DCM, MGT, P/E, RSO, RMAS, PAO, MSG, OMC (USDR),and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. BALTIMORE