EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/19/2006

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000234

SIPDIS

NOFORN

STATE FOR D, P, M, DS, S/CT, CA, INR, NEA/ARPI, AND NEA/EX
STATE ALSO FOR DS/DSS/OSAC, DS/DSS/CC, DS/IP/NEA, AND
DS/IP/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER CASC KSAC KHLS KVPR MU EAC
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 02/19/2006

REF: A. SECSTATE 026222

B. MUSCAT 0217

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart.
Reason: 1.4(c)(d).

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the full
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) on February 19 to review the
Embassy's security posture following the local holiday
weekend. Members noted no substantive changes in the local
security environment since the last meeting, and agreed that
the Embassy's already heightened security posture and force
protection condition (FPCON) remain appropriate. End Summary.

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Local Security Situation
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2. (SBU) On February 19, the Ambassador chaired a meeting
of the full EAC to review the Embassy's security posture
following the local holiday weekend. The meeting opened with
a discussion of the local security situation, which the EAC
continued to characterize as stable. Likewise, the EAC noted
no/no new threat reporting specific to Oman. Members,
including Duty Officer, cited no security incidents among
their staffs or family members over the weekend, while CONS
confirmed that there were no reported security incidents or
security-related queries from the private American citizen
community.

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Security Advisory
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3. (C) RSO did, however, lead a discussion of the
Department's February 17 Security Advisory (reftel A) on the
U.N. Special Rapporteurs' report lodging allegations of U.S.
Government mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Members of the EAC noted that although release of the U.N.
report coincided with the release of additional images of
alleged prisoner abuse at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib Prison, as
well as the ongoing worldwide unrest related to the Danish
publication of caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad,
there have been no demonstrations or other public
manifestations of protest. Accordingly, members agreed that
while it was necessary for the EAC to continue closely
monitoring reactions to the aforementioned events, the
Embassy's already heightened security posture and FPCON
remain appropriate. In this vein, members agreed that
publishing a warden message beyond the scope of the most
recent Public Announcements was not warranted at this time.
NOTE: Reactions may have been muted somewhat by the fact that
most media coverage took place over the local weekend;
additional reaction reporting will follow septel. END NOTE.

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Sustained Vigilance
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4. (SBU) Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO stressed the
need for members of the EAC to continue reinforcing to both
their staffs and family members the need for vigilance
regarding all aspects of personal security - to include
maintaining a low profile, and remaining unpredictable and
situationally aware. RSO further re-emphasized the
importance of immediately reporting all suspicious activity
or security-related incidents to Post One.

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EAC Conclusion
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5. (S/NF) The EAC concluded that there have been no
substantive changes in the local security environment since
the last meeting held on February 15 (reftel B),and that the
Embassy's already heightened security posture and FPCON
remain appropriate. Embassy Muscat remains acutely aware of
the need to monitor both the regional and local security and
threat environments, and is prepared to take the necessary
countermeasures should changes to either occur. AMB, DCM,
P/E, MGT, RSO, ARSO, SIMO, PAO, CONS, MSG, DAO, OMC (USDR),
ECA (USCENTAF),and Duty Officer participated in the meeting,
which was preceded by a meeting of the Visas Viper Committee
(to be reported septel).
BALTIMORE