SENEGAL: GLOBAL PURSUIT OF TERRORIST INFORMATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 002989

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR S/CT AND CA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2016
TAGS: PTER KVPR KHLS PREL PGOV PINR CVIS ASEC SG
SUBJECT: SENEGAL: GLOBAL PURSUIT OF TERRORIST INFORMATION
EXCHANGE

REF: STATE 190832

Classified By: Charge Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (U) The GOS provided the following responses to reftel
queries:


A. (SBU) Immigration Databases:

Question: What computerized immigration databases are
used to track entries and exits?

Answer: Currently, other than paper arrival and departure
records, the Government of Senegal (GOS) uses only the
USG-provided Personal Identification Secure Comparison and
Evaluation System (PISCES). Funding will terminate for
this program at the end of the first quarter of Fiscal
Year 2007.

Question: Is the immigration database available at all
ports of entry (POEs)?

Answer: No, only Dakar?s Leopold Sedar Senghor
International Airport and the Interpol national bureau
have access to the PISCES program.

Question: If immigration databases are available at some
POEs, but not all, how does the host government decide
which POEs will receive the tool?

Answer: The airport was chosen because of the volume of
foreign travelers transitting the facility. The Interpol
national bureau is co-located with the Ministry of
Interior's Judicial Police; it is responsible for
consolidating and distributing weekly Stoplists.

Question: What problems, if any, limit the effectiveness
of the systems? For example, limited training, power
brownouts, budgetary restraints, corruption, etc.?

Answer: A lack of training, high turnover of GOS
personnel, and frequent brownouts made sustained USG
support critical to sustaining the PISCES program in
Senegal. In FY 2006, a full-time contractor was hired to
administer the program; provide training; monitor usage;
and coordinate between Interpol and the airport to
facilitate Stoplist distribution. While there were
several incidents of server failure due to municipal
electricity problems (resulting in maintenance team visits
from CONUS),the system was useful to both the GOS and the
embassy?s Visas Viper Committee. Post requested that the
program be funded for all of FY 2007.

Question: How often are national immigration databases
updated?

Answer: PISCES databases are updated daily as the
travelers are entered into the system. Stoplists are
updated weekly.


B. (SBU) Watchlist and Information Sharing:

Question: Is there a name-based watchlist system used to
screen travelers at POEs?

Answer: Yes, other than PISCES, the GOS maintains
National watchlists at each point of entry -- paper
documents updated weekly, or as required, by the Ministry
of Interior.

Question: What domestic sources of information populate
the name-based watchlist, i.e., names of deported persons,
terrorist lookouts, criminal wants/warrants?

Answer: Criminal and investigative records from the
Ministry of the Interior are the primary domestic source
of information. Names, dates of birth and passport
numbers are the primary information found on the list. If
the person has been placed on the list due to deportation
or wants/warrants, the case number will be available. If
the person was placed on the list for reasons such as
terrorism, the name of the organization to which the
person is allegedly affiliated will be found on the list.

Question: What international watchlists do the host
government use for screening individuals, e.g. Interpol or
TSA No Flylists, UN, etc.?

SIPDIS

Answer: The GOS uses information gathered from Interpol,
TSA, the United Nations, and other governments to populate

SIPDIS

the watchlist.

Question: What bilateral/multilateral watchlist
agreements exist between host government and its
neighbors?

Answer: Under Senegalese law, the General Director of
National Police (DGSN) has authority to communicate with
other countries to receive and send information. Senegal
currently has no formal watchlist agreements with
surrounding countries. The Interpol national bureau
serves as a formal conduit for information sharing.


C. (SBU) Biometrics:

Question: Are biometric systems in place at ports of
entry (air,land, sea)? If no, does host government have
plans to install such a system? If biometric systems are
available at some POEs, but not all, how does the host
government decide which POEs will receive the tool?

Answer: No, the GOS has no biometric systems in place at
ports of entry and has no plans at this time to install
such a system.

Question: What biometric technologies, if any, does the
host government use, i.e. fingerprint identification,
facial recognition, iris recognition, hand geometry,
retinal identification, DNA-based identification,
keystroke dynamics, gait analysis? Are the systems ICAO
compliant?

Answer: The GOS only uses fingerprints following an
arrest or when making an application for passport.

Question: Does the host government issue a machine-
readable passport containing biometric information? If
so, what biometric information is included on the
document, i.e. fingerprint, iris, facial recognition, etc?
If not, does host government plan to issue a biometric
document in the future? When?

Answer: No, the GOS does not issue a machine readable
passport. Although it has made some effort to switch to
machine readable, a timeline has yet to be established.


D. (C) Identifying Appropriate Partners:

Based on post's experience with PISCES, the GOS would be a
good partner in data sharing and would not use U.S.
watchlist data inappropriately. Also, based on our
experience with PISCES, any technology-based systems of
sharing information would require a long-term commitment
of USG support for maintenance and training.


2. (U) POC for this report is the Regional Security
Office, U.S. Embassy Dakar, tel: (221) 823-4296, ext.

2312.

JACKSON