BKGB Claims USG Terrorism on Election Day

UNCLAS MINSK 000281

SIPDIS

KIEV ALSO FOR USAID

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CASC BO
SUBJECT: BKGB Claims USG Terrorism on Election Day



1. At 1100 local on March 16, chairman of the BKGB Stepan
Sukhorenko held a press conference to claim the BKGB had uncovered
a plot by the Belarusian opposition, funded and organized by
Georgia and the United States, to bomb four schools on Election Day
(March 19) as part of a coup against Lukashenko. Sukhorenko showed
video of an interview with a man claiming he was involved in the
plot. This man claimed he received training at a camp in Georgia
run by the Kmara youth group, and that he was trained by, "four
Arabs and officers of the former Soviet army." He claimed he and
other activists were instructed in hand-to-hand combat, chemical
defense, explosives and the placement of tripwires.


2. In the video, according to news sources, the man claimed that a
colonel from Georgian security services and American instructors
had conducted examinations, and that the Americans ordered the
trainees to bomb four polling stations in schools during voting on
March 19. The man stated, "The Americans told us to organize four
explosions at schools. The places and times of the terror attacks
were to be given later. Concrete locations were not indicated."
Sukhorenko showed further footage of several Georgian nationals
"confessing" that they were to deliver money and material for
disturbances on Election Day.


3. The BelaPAN news service reports that Sukhorenko named Anatoly
Lebedko, head of the opposition United Civic Party, as one of
several dozen suspects in the case. [Note: Lebedko was detained on
March 15 by police, who searched his car and garage before
releasing him (septel).] Sukhorenko also named Georgy Torgomadze,
head of the security committee of the Georgian parliament, as being
involved, and said that Georgia maintained contacts with the
opposition, including Lebedko and former MP Valery Frolov, through
its embassies in Kiev and Vilnius. Sukhorenko also claimed that
two Georgians identified as the "Sutidze brothers" brought money to
Belarus to form an anti-government militia on February 21.
Sukhorenko claimed members of the NGOs Zubr and Partnership had
confessed to being involved in this plot.


4. Sukhorenko announced at the press conference, "We know, perhaps,
only a part of what is planned." He added that the BKGB would
treat any attempts by Belarusians to take to the streets to
demonstrate to be terrorism; "The KGB will bring criminal charges
under Article 290 of the Criminal Code--the threat to conduct
terrorist acts. All who go to the street and attempt to
destabilize the situation will be considered terrorists."


5. Comment: While clearly ridiculous, these charges show the
paranoid measures the regime is undertaking to scare the population
away from demonstrating support for the opposition. The claims
also provide further pretext for the authorities to lock up
opposition activists. The opposition is calling for its supporters
to gather in October Square at 2000 on March 19. Sukhorenko's
statements suggest the GOB seems prepared to meet these peaceful
demonstrators with force.


KROL