SANAA EAC MEETING 04/06/2005

S E C R E T SANAA 000876 SIPDIS NOFORN DS/DSS, DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, S/CT, NEA, NEA/ ARP, NEA/EX, NEA/P, CA, CENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2015 TAGS: AMGT ASEC PREL PTER EAC SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING 04/06/2005 Classified By: Classified by RSO Timothy Laas for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary: The Charge d' Affaires (CDA) convened a core EAC meeting on April 06, 2005, to review updates on recent incidents and threat reporting. RMAS provided an update on the perceived threat followed by a show of hands by the EAC that determined current awareness and recommendations, directions to Embassy staff and the American community were adequate. Key offices and personnel represented at the meeting included: CDA, RSO, RMAS, POLE, DAO, FBI, OMC, IPC. ¶2. (S/NF) RMAS advised the EAC that sources continue to provide information regarding the terrorists, planning and, based on that information (see SEPTEL),the EAC voted to continue with current security practices, to include encouraging community members to maintain a low profile, avoid non-essential travel and use best practices when traveling. ¶3. (S/NF) The RSO reviewed options with EAC members, to include restricting community members from: Dining at restaurants associated with the western community, including Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Baskin Robbins, as well as avoiding certain soft-target hotels that cluster Westerners, avoiding the old city, staying away from Western nightclubs in Tourist City and avoiding the Sanaa Trade Center. Although EAC members recommended keeping a dialogue open on such restrictions, it was decided that current information was of a quantity and quality that made sound EAC judgments possible regarding the need for more restrictions: For that reason the EAC decided that further control over employee activities was not yet required but would be reviewed over the coming days. The EAC agreed that current actions taken by them were successful in properly informing the community so that they could practice appropriate risk management. The RSO noted that two oil companies had implemented the restrictions listed above based on their perception of the threat. ¶4. (SBU) The EAC agreed to maintain close communications over the weekend to ensure timely EAC response to information that might be available for assessing the threat and emergency actions to be taken. Khoury