REPORT OF THE BISHKEK EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BISHKEK 001297

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS AND S/CT
DEPT FOR SCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC MARR KG PINR
SUBJECT: REPORT OF THE BISHKEK EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE
ON SEPTEMBER 6 2006

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Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch for Reason 1.4 (c) and (
d)

NOTE: THIS IS A REPEAT OF BISHKEK 1292, PROVIDING BROADER
DISTRIBUTION.


1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency
Action Committee (EAC) on September 6, 2006 to review the
disappearance of Major Jill Metzger, assigned to Manas
Airbase. Present at the EAC were the DCM, RSO, POL/ECON,
POL/RA, AID, DAO, PAS, CONS, MGT, RLA, GSO and Base
Representative.

Background to the Incident
--------------


2. (SBU) At approximately 1530 September 5, 2006, six
personnel assigned to Manas Airbase departed the airbase to
go to the central downtown Tsum Department store. The group
arrived at Tsum at approximately 1615. At this time four
members of the group walked to the Hyatt Hotel to exchange
money. The group agreed to meet at 1700 and proceed to the
restaurant. Major Metzger and Sgt Barnes (both female)
entered Tsum at 1616 according to video evidence. Major
Metzger was observed on four additional occasions on the Tsum
CCTV. The last image was at 1629. At 1629 Major Metzger
walked out of Tsum unaccompanied. Investigative review of
the CCTV is ongoing. Multiple copies of the CCTV tapes are
being reproduced for further investigative analysis.


3. (S) Major Metzger did not appear at a predetermined rally
point in Tsum at 1700. Major Metzger was in possession of
the only cell phone in the six-person group. At 1735 Sgt
Barnes used the driver,s cell phone to attempt to contact
Major Metzger. Subsequent investigative development based on
cell phone traces placed Major Metzger,s cell phone in the
vicinity of Bishkek,s Eastern Bus Station at 1735.
Additional cell phone traces placed Major Metzger,s cell
phone in the vicinity of the Tyngooch micro district in the
southwest quadrant of Bishkek at 1907.


4. (S) At 1800 four base Office of Special Investigations
(OSI) Agents passed by Tsum on their way to dinner and were
stopped by members of Major Metzger,s tour group who
informed them that she was missing. The OSI Agents and the
tour group searched through Tsum,s 4 floors until 2000 and
were unable to locate any sign of Major Metzger.


5. (SBU) At 2000 hours OSI Agents called ARSO requesting
assistance.


6. (SBU) At 2010 ARSO notified FSNI and requested that FSNI
contact police, militia, traffic police and patrol police and
the office of crimes against foreigners to begin searching
for Major Metzger.


7. (SBU) At 2015 ARSO notified RSO. RSO instructed ARSO to
contact hospitals, morgues and the ambulance service. RSO
requested ARSO to contact the DCM.


8. (SBU) At 2020 ARSO contacted DCM. DCM instructed ARSO to
provide situational updates as they occurred.


9. (SBU) At 2050 DATT called ARSO and offered vehicular and
personnel assistance if needed. The DATT recommended that
ARSO contact the Ambassador.


10. (SBU) At 2100 OSI Agent,s met with Lieutenant Colonel
Nurlan Sulanaliev from the office of crimes against
foreigners and requested investigative assistance.

BISHKEK 00001297 002.2 OF 003




11. (SBU) At 2115 ARSO contacted FSNI and requested a
situation update. FSNI stated that all available law
enforcement assets were assisting.


12. (SBU) At 2130 ARSO contacted RSO. RSO instructed ARSO
to verify that roadblocks and vehicle inspections were being
conducted on roads leading out of Bishkek. RSO requested
ARSO to inquire into host nation,s canine support abilities.
RSO also recommended ARSO notify the Ambassador and POL/RA.


13. (SBU) At 2150 ARSO notified Ambassador. Ambassador
requested that ARSO contact POL/RA and recommended that ARSO
contact DOS operations. Ambassador offered to contact host
nation ministerial level officials.


14. (SBU) At 2200 ARSO contacted RSO. RSO recommended ARSO
contact DS Command Center.


15. (SBU) At 2205 ARSO contacted DS Command Center and DOS
Operations.


16. (SBU) At 2215 ARSO contacted POL/RA. POL/RA offered to
contact National Security Service


17. (SBU) At 2245 ARSO and FSNI arrived at Tsum and
requested to view CCTV. ARSO was advised that the Security
Coordinator was not available until 0800 September 06, 2006
to assist with the CCTV investigation.


18. (SBU) At 0030 PAS contacted ARSO regarding the airbase
recommendation for a monetary award. ARSO advised against
the recommendation this early in the investigation. PAS also
requested ARSO to provide a contact number at the Embassy for
a tip line.


19. (SBU) At 0130 OSI contacted ARSO and stated that the
Base Commander would contact the Ambassador regarding the
proposed monetary reward.


20. (SBU) At 0135 DCM contacted RSO to request update on the
situation.


21. (SBU) At 0200 Ambassador contacted RSO to inquire about
the proposed monetary award. RSO advised that it was too
early in the investigation to recommend a monetary award.
Ambassador also stated the she would chair a meeting of the
EAC at opening of business.


22. (S) At 0730 Joint Prisoner Recovery Agency (JPRA)
contacted RSO office and stated that a Repatriation Team (one
female psychologist and one female SERE (Survival Evasion
Resistance and Escape) specialist) would arrive on September
08, 2006. Additionally, OSI briefed that a support team of
22 agents will arrive in the next few days.


23. (SBU) At 0810 ARSO and FSNI met OSI at Tsum to review
CCTV.


24. (SBU) At 0945 OSI and host nation investigators began
questioning Tsum tenants.


25. (SBU) At 1010 the Ambassador chaired a meeting of the
EAC. The EAC reviewed the facts of the case and agreed to
take the following actions:

Prepare a factual statement announcing the disappearance
of an individual from the base, develop a checklist of
precautionary steps Amcits should take as the investigation
proceeded, and issue this information to Embassy staff, to

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Peace Corps Volunteers, to all Amcits via a Warden message,
and the two local schools where dependent children are
enrolled. In addition, the Ambassador, in coordination with
the base, agreed to hold a press conference with Kyrgyz
television media to outline the incident and appeal to the
public for information leading to finding Major Metzger.
Embassy has taken all of the actions outlined above.


26. (SBU) At 1100 ARSO and FSNI filed an Official Claim on
the behalf of the Airbase with the Sverdlozsky District
Police station, requesting cooperation in the investigation
of the incident.


27. (S) At 1130 host nation investigators began search of
the East Bus Station and Tyngooch Micro district based on the
information obtained from the cell phone traces.


28. (S) At 1600 FSNI informed RSO section that the last
individual called by Major Metzger is possibly a Kyrgyz male.
Host country law enforcement will conduct interview.


29. (SBU) Over the course of the day, the Ambassador called
Acting Foreign Minister Kadyrov, SNB Chairman Tabaldiyev,
Minister of the Interior Sutalinov, and the President,s
Deputy Chief of Staff Sadyrkulov to thank them for the
outstanding cooperation of the Kyrgyz law enforcement
organizations and request continued assistance in the
on-going investigation.


30. (SBU) Embassy Bishkek will continue to support the
investigation as requested by the airbase. Post is still
evaluating the LEGATT in Almaty offer to provide an advanced
Fly Team (4 agents and support personnel who set up a
Situation Command Center) and a Hostage Negotiation team from
the Crisis Negotiations unit. FBI support is dependent upon
request from the Ambassador. Host nation has trained hostage
negotiators and are prepared to assist as needed. RSO
section, OSI and host nation continue to investigate the
disappearance and follow-up on all leads. RSO section
formally requested investigative assistance from all host
nation law enforcement entities as required in accordance
with Kyrgyz law.
YOVANOVITCH