Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ROME3998
2005-12-06 09:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ADVISOR ON HOMELAND SECURITY TOWNSEND'S VISIT TO

Tags:  KOLY PTER OVIP IT ITALIAN POLITICS 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003998 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2015
TAGS: KOLY PTER OVIP IT ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ADVISOR ON HOMELAND SECURITY TOWNSEND'S VISIT TO
ROME


Classified By: Ambassador Spogli for reasons 1.4(b)(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003998

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2015
TAGS: KOLY PTER OVIP IT ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ADVISOR ON HOMELAND SECURITY TOWNSEND'S VISIT TO
ROME


Classified By: Ambassador Spogli for reasons 1.4(b)(d).


1. (C) Summary. During a series of meetings with law
enforcement and intelligence officials, Advisor to the
President for Homeland Security Townsend delivered a
consistent message on security for the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin. We respect Italian capabilities and appreciate the
cooperation we have received so far, but we need increased
transparency about the details to deconflict our contingency
planning. Both Interior Minister Pisanu and Chief of Police
DeGennaro agreed to share additional information. See septel
for a specific list of information requests we will present
to the Ministry of Interior. End Summary.


2. (C) Advisor to the President for Homeland Security Fran
Townsend visited Rome November 28-29 to discuss security
preparations for the Olympics and U.S.-Italian cooperation on
counterterrorism and terrorist finance. After a briefing by
the U.S. Olympic Security Coordinator (OSC) Dan Weber, she
met with Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu, Chief of Police
Gianni DeGennaro and SISMI (CIA equivalent) Chief Nicolo
Pollari. She had a lunch focused on terrorist finance issues
with representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs,
Economy, Interior and the Bank of Italy. Dinner included
DeGennaro and U/S for Culture and Sport in charge of the
Olympics Mario Pescante. Townsend was accompanied by
assistants Brian Murphy, Nicole Shampain and Rick Stroyan.

Olympic Security Plans
--------------


3. (C) On November 28, Ambassador and DCM met with Chief of
Police DeGennaro who delivered, as requested by the Embassy,
a detailed plan for Italian operational security at the Turin
Olympics. DeGennaro told the Ambassador this document
represented the extent of Italian planning at this point; the
plan would be upgraded in December. The document includes
information on: overall numbers of police forces to be
deployed; a review of transportation routes, checkpoints and
athlete shuttle services for Turin and the mountain venues;
border, airspace airport and railroad controls; the three
level security perimeter plan; areas to be patrolled in
Turin; personnel screening; and the organizational structure

for security and crisis management. The plan does not contain
information about proposed evacuation plans/routes or
emergency CBN response plans.


4. (C) OSC Weber, FBI Olympic Coordinator Ray Mey and RSO
Rolph-O'Donnell briefed Townsend on the latest Italian plan.
Weber also reviewed the DSS plan for supporting Italian
security preparations and the timeline for operations at the
U.S. Olympic Office in Turin. Rolph-O'Donnell briefed on the
status of consultations with the Ministry of Interior (MOI)
which is tasked with planning and executing security
operations for the Games. Weber said the problem was not a
lack of confidence in Italian capabilities but a lack of
transparency in sharing plans with us. Cooperation continues
to be excellent at the working level and the MOI has agreed
to include agents in its quota of accredited security
personnel. But we need more details to assist U.S. sponsors
and adequately protect American citizens and VIPs in the
event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. USOC seemed
pleased with USG cooperation and has made specific requests
of the MOI relating to road closures, pedestrian access,
security for the package of ice hockey and curling teams to
and from venues, and the emergency action/evacuation plan.

Chief of Police Promises Contingency Plans
--------------


5. (C) In a meeting at MOI which included Deputy Chief
Manganelli, Prefect for Counterterrorism DeStefano, Prefect
for Public Order/Olympics Tagliente and Turin Questore Dr.
Polli, Police Chief DeGennaro stressed the excellent and
long-term U.S.-GOI working relationship. Manganelli reviewed
the Italian security plan (para 3); DeGennaro promised the
MOI would add more details in December. Townsend noted the
professionalism of the MOI and their success at controlling
security at Pope John Paul's funeral, the G-8 Summit and
World Cup games. However, U.S. sponsors are increasingly
anxious about security preparations for the athletes and
their own workers, and they are asking us for details about
the Italian security plans and what assistance the USG will
be able to offer. We also needed to ensure adequate security
for the U.S.VIP delegation. We appreciate cooperation to
date, but now we need detail, especially with regard to
evacuation and contingency planning for CBN and other
catastrophic events. We respect Italian capabilities, but we
need to understand Italian plans so that we can make our own
contingency plans that complement the Italian ones. On CBN,
we may be able to offer assistance in these specialty areas.


6. (C) DeGennaro insisted that the MOI has been sharing
information, citing the invitation for the DCM and RSO to
watch from Rome the attack exercise conducted in Turin. He
then reviewed the Italian perception of the main threats to
the Games, which fall into two categories. The anarchists
and non-globals present the biggest real risk, but they are
well-known and monitored by the GOI. They have the power to
create an incident, but mostly limit themselves to letter
bombs and firecrackers. Terrorists do pose a real threat,
especially in light of continued web-based threats to Italy,
but these threats remain general, not specific.


7. (C) DeGennaro said that Italy has a national plan for
dealing with CBN crises; they have conducted drills and
tested equipment and chains of command for implementing the
plan. The plan includes information on fire, medical, hazmat
response and evacuations. MOI is responsible for
implementing the national plan, which would be applied to
Turin as needed; however, MOI will have specific evacuation
plans for the Olympics. These plans are confidential, but he
said the MOI would share them if the U.S. needed to see them.
Townsend thanked DeGennaro for this offer, repeating that our
goal was to deconflict our contingency planning with the MOI.

Pisanu: Focused on Threat Assessment
--------------


8. (C) In the meeting with Interior Minister Pisanu,
Townsend delivered the same points: we know there is no
specific threat against the Games and we appreciate
cooperation to date, but we now need additional details to
ensure that we deconflict our contingency planning. After
Hurricane Katrina, we were made particularly aware of the
need to plan for the unexpected. Pisanu, briefed by
DeGennaro on the previous meeting, agreed they would share
information on contingency planning. He noted that, with the
growing threats to Italy from Al Qaeda and Al Zahawiri, our
cooperation was more important than ever. He praised
intelligence cooperation and said that Italy greatly values
U.S. threat analyses. Given the level of web and other
threats, however, we needed to separate "the noise of thunder
from the reality of lightning strikes."


9. (C) Responding to a question, Townsend said that the
media campaign by Al Qaeda against U.S. allies was a cheap
and easy way for a weakened organization to maximize its
ability to influence events. In cases like Spain, they
targeted a weak country and were successful. She agreed that
we need to carefully analyze the threats and ensure that we
spending our resources where they are needed. Both agreed
that the messages from Al Zahawiri and Zarkawi were often
followed by real actions and should be taken seriously.
Townsend noted that we had carefully analyzed and made public
a letter between Al Zahawiri and Zarkawi to expose their
philosophical differences and hopefully destroy them.


10. (C) Noting the role of a hearts and minds campaign in
the long-term war on terrorism, Townsend asked Pisanu to
explain his Muslim outreach campaign. Pisanu described it as
an effort to build a dialogue with Muslims who were primarily
first generation immigrants seeking jobs in Italy. Only 5%
attend mosque and are exposed to extremist preaching; the
goal was to reach out to the other 95% and convince them they
can be part of Italy. Pisanu plans to launch this week a
Muslim Advisory Council made up of 18 immigrants from
different national communities who have denounced terrorism
and violence. The Council will provide the MOI with advice
on how to promote integration, "not just assimilation."
Pisanu's goal is to create an Italian Islam of people who
speak Italian and respect Italian laws and are integrated
into an accepting society.


11. (C) Pisanu commented on his consultations with his
Saudi, Yemeni and Libyan counterparts and said that many
Muslim countries now threatened with terrorism can be our
allies. Townsend agreed, explaining that her own
consultations with the Saudis have yielded surprising
successes because we recognize a common threat. She said
Pisanu's vision for an Italian Islam was powerful but would
require significant patience. Pisanu responded by quoting
20th century Italian leader Alcide de Gaspari who said that
politics was patience.


12. (U) This cable was cleared by Fran Townsend.

SPOGLI