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).

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Summary
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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.

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Security Situation
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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.

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Events
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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.

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Terrorist Tactics/Sustained Vigilance
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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.

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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
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