TERRORISM FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER (TFCO)

UNCLAS MANAMA 002040 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS PASS TO EB/ESC/TFS, S/CT FOR PHILL, NEA/ARP, IO/PSC FOR JSANDAGE, AND INL/C/CP FOR SPETERSON TREASURY FOR OFAC ABU DHABI FOR JBEAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTFN KVPR EFIN ETTC PREL PTER BA CTR SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER (TFCO) REF: STATE 181096 Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly. Not for Internet distribution. -------------- TFCO AND DEPUTY -------------- ¶1. (U) Embassy Manama TFCO is EconOff Stephen Simpson, phone: (973)1724-2986, unclassified email: SimpsonSC@state.gov, and classified email: SimpsonSC@state.sgov.gov. ¶2. (U) Pol/Econ Chief Steve Bondy serves as an alternate point of contact. His contact information is: phone: (973)1724-2908, unclassified email: BondySC@state.gov, and classified email: BondySC@state.sgov.gov. -------------- TFCO COORDINATION -------------- ¶3. (U) Post would welcome regional TFCO meetings to improve coordination among TFCOs as suggested reftel. Such meetings could feature representation from TFCOs, Washington policy officials, and law-enforcement and banking officials, as appropriate. ¶4. (SBU) Post has enjoyed excellent State - Treasury/OFAC interaction. Treasury has recently relocated the OFAC Regional Attache position from Manama to Abu Dhabi. Post continues to coordinate with the OFAC regional officer on terror finance issues. An effort should be made to invite TFCO participation at OFAC, FinCen and other relevant USG conferences in the interest of enhanced networking and information exchange. -------------- PUBLIC DIPLOMACY -------------- ¶5. (SBU) While many of Post's local interlocutors are English-speaking, Department-provided Arabic translations of talking points and other materials have been useful as well. An International Information Program print publication on responsible charitable giving that conveys the individual donor's responsibility to "know your charity" might be an effective means of supporting local community awareness efforts, especially if available in Arabic as well as English. -------------- NEEDS OF POST -------------- ¶6. (U) Post commends the EB/Terrorism Finance and Economic Sanctions intranet site for its broad inclusion of resources. Front-channel TFCO best practices guidance, perhaps drawing on worldwide feedback to reftel, would also be useful. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE