BULGARIA: 2005 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 002051 SIPDIS S/CT Rhonda Shore, S/CT Ed Salazar, NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA: 2005 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 193439 ¶1. The following submission provides Post's contributions to the Department's "Country Reports on Terrorism 2005" report. ¶2. Bulgaria remains a steadfast member of the global coalition against terrorism. No significant acts of terrorism occurred in Bulgaria in 2005. Bulgaria is not a sponsor of terrorism and does not provide safe haven to terrorist organizations. Significant actions taken by the government of Bulgaria to support U.S. efforts against terrorism are detailed below: -- Bulgaria has ratified all major international instruments on terrorism, extradition, and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. -- During 2005, Bulgaria participated in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan. Bulgaria's support consisted of 75 military personnel, including staff officers, a mechanized infantry platoon, and military instructors. In June, 2005, Bulgaria agreed to an expanded mission in Afghanistan in which its troops will provide security for Kabul Airport starting in August, 2006. -- In addition, one Bulgarian battalion (386 personnel) served in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bulgarian troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2005, but the Bulgarian government remains committed to the international effort to bring peace and stability to Iraq and will likely provide troops for a smaller mission of a different character in 2006. -- During 2005, the Bulgarian government continued its high- level of cooperation with the USG in preventing acts of terrorism against United States citizens in Bulgaria and elsewhere. This included information sharing on potential terrorist threats and a heightened level of protection for USG facilities. -- The government maintained an anti-terror task force to protect diplomatic missions. -- The Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) was charged with inspecting financial institutions and investigating transactions valued at BGN 30,000 (approximately USD 18750) or more. -- The FIA remained vigilant against terrorist financing and continued to cooperate with the U.S. government on identifying terrorist assets. The FIA distributed lists of individuals and organizations linked to terrorism to all of the banks in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Interior, Customs, and the Border Police. The FIA coordinated information received on searches for persons and entities named in E.O. 13224 lists. -- The FIA provided feedback, including information on the response level of Bulgaria's banks, to the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), as well as to the Embassy. The FIA also provided statistics to the USG on suspicious transactions referred to the Prosecutor General for further action. -- In February 2005, Bulgarian services and their Irish counterparts foiled a plan by the individuals linked to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to move money through a Bulgarian bank, reportedly for the purposes of money laundering. -- Neither the U.S. nor Bulgaria requested extradition of suspected terrorists for prosecution during 2005. The current U.S.-Bulgarian extradition treaty dates from 1924 and applies only to third-country nationals. However, in February 2005, Parliament adopted a constitutional amendment allowing future extradition treaties to provide for the extradition of Bulgarian citizens. -- Bulgarian law limits the use of specialized investigative techniques (SITs),including interception and surveillance of wire, oral, and electronic communications. SITs can be used for the prevention and disclosure of grave crimes - legally defined as punishable by more than five years imprisonment -- and to the extent that the necessary information cannot be gathered otherwise. -- Bulgarian responses to terrorism included numerous official public statements and efforts to assist with international terrorism investigations. While Bulgarian border control has been strengthened in preparation for EU accession in 2007, Bulgaria's strategic location on major Balkan transit routes makes it vulnerable to illegal flows of people, contraband, narcotics, and money. Fraudulent documents continue to be readily available despite renewed efforts by the Bulgarian government -- in cooperation with the U.S. Secret Service -- to curb counterfeiting. -- Bulgaria's religious leaders, including leaders of the nation's Muslim community, continued to speak out strongly against extremism and the use of terrorism. -- There is no significant change since 2004 in Bulgarian government's attitude toward terrorism. Continuing casualties among Bulgarian soldiers and civilians in Iraq underscored the fact that terrorism is a threat to Bulgarians. Since 2003, Bulgarian casualties in Iraq have included 13 military and 6 civilians killed, as well as 80 military personnel wounded. Bulgarian diplomatic missions worldwide increased their level security due to a rise in terrorist-related threats. -- The GoB does not provide any kind of support for international terrorism, terrorists or terrorist groups. -- The GoB has not made any public statements in support of a terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism issue. ¶3. Embassy Point of Contact is Political Officer John Senior: Office Telephone: +359 2 937 5270 Office Fax: +359 2 937 5320 Email: seniorjm@state.gov BEYRLE