PANAMA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS PANAMA 002451 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE AND WHA/CEN PASS TO NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KPAO KHLS PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 175925 GENERAL ASSESSMENT -------------- ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Panama continues to be a strong partner with the United States in the global war on terrorism. The Panama Canal is the country's most important economic asset. Any act of terrorism that closes off the Canal could severely impact Panama's economy, the United States, and other countries in the region that rely heavily on the Canal for commerce. Panama's Public Forces (PPF) closely monitor the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia's (AUC) activities in the Darien Province on the Colombian border. The Government of Panama (GOP) undertook a review of the structure of the PPF and conducted exercises to ensure its ability to protect the Canal and residents of Panama against a possible terrorist act. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Panama remains a low-threat post for indigenous terrorism and the State Department downgraded Panama from "high" to "medium" on the State Department's Security Environmental Threat List (SETL) for transnational terrorism. Notable events in 2006 include the creation of a dedicated border force within the Panamanian National Police (PNP) and the hosting of a conference for Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) members. ¶3. (SBU) Panama did not make any public statements in support of a terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism issue or provide any support for international terrorism. On the contrary, the GOP speaks out against terrorism in many international forums and signed or ratified all applicable international agreements concerning counterterrorism. SAFE HAVEN ASSESSMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Panama did not provide any support to international terrorism, terrorists, or terrorist groups. TERRORIST GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Panama currently has no recognized domestic terrorism organizations. ¶6. (SBU) However, Panama remains a transshipment point for arms, drugs, and smuggling of illegal aliens due to its highly developed commercial transport sector and shared border with Colombia, home to the FARC and AUC, both designated as terrorist organizations by the State Department. Panama's remote border region with Colombia, the Darien Province, served in the past as a rest and recreation point for the FARC. ¶7. (SBU) In January 2006, the FARC kidnapped two Spanish citizens near the town of Jaque in the Darien. The group held and later released the two individuals. This incident indicates that the FARC presence and activity in the Darien remains. In January 2003, AUC narcoterrorists killed four Panamanian citizens in the village of Paya. ¶8. (SBU) In 2006 Panama created a dedicated border patrol force for both the Colombian and Costa Rican borders. The Border Protection Force is a separate service with its own command and headquarters, but remains under the direction of the Panamanian National Police (PNP). Panama believes a dedicated border force will result in higher professionalism as well as improved border security. The PNP in turn will dedicate more of its efforts to traditional police functions instead of rotating part of its force to the border to conduct paramilitary operations every 30 days. ¶9. (SBU) In June 2003, Panama signed a border security cooperation agreement (Comision Binacional Fronteriza or COMBIFRON) with Colombia. COMBIFRON provides a framework for sharing cross-border security information and encourages security-force cooperation on insurgent, drug, and illegal migrant issues. Panama has no army, however, the PNP with U.S. training and assistance established a permanent presence in several towns along the border with Colombia to prevent narcoterrorist operations. FOREIGN GOVERNMENT COOPERATION -------------- ¶10. (SBU) The GOP signed and ratified all 12 international counterterrorism conventions passed after September 11, 2001. The GOP fully supports the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism. On December 1, 2006 the Panamanian National Assembly ratified the International Convention on the Repression of Nuclear Terrorism. ¶11. (SBU) On May 12, 2004 Panama signed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) which allows U.S. forces to board Panamanian flagged vessels suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Panama maintains the world's largest ship registry, making PSI an important tool in countering terrorism. The United States and Panama are discussing information exchanges on various security issues. ¶12. (SBU) Panama provides enhanced force protection for U.S. military vessels, including submarines, during "high value transits" (HVT) of the Canal. USG officials have praised the GOP's level of support and security for HVTs. During the November 2005 visit to Panama by President Bush, the GOP permitted a sizable U.S. military presence to counter the possibility of a terrorist act. ¶13. (SBU) The Ministry of Government and Justice (MOGJ) uses classroom training, table-top exercises, and field visits to improve coordination among the PPF agencies. Panama is also the sponsor and host of the annual PANAMAX exercise. PANAMAX is a multinational civil and military forces training exercise tailored to the defense of the Panama Canal. The exercise replicates real world threats to the Canal in order to develop appropriate responses and guarantee safe passage through the waterway. The 2006 PANAMAX was the fourth consecutive year for the exercise. Fifteen nations, including the United States, participated. ¶14. (SBU) The MOGJ works closely with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice in the Prisoner Transfer program, which included 90 transfers in 2006. This program transfers mostly narcotraffickers, whose revenues support the FARC and the AUC, to U.S. custody for prosecution. The GOP and DHS are also working together on other joint counterterrorist initiatives, including the malafide traveler interdiction operation at Tocumen Airport, Operation Firewall, where targeted shipments of undeclared financial instruments were seized while transiting through Panama, and Panama's continued efforts to improve the level of international Shipping and Port Security (ISPS) compliance. Through 2006 Panama worked closely with DHS to finalize the Declaration of Principles for Panama's Container Security Initiative, which is scheduled to be signed in February 2007. ¶15. (SBU) In 2006, Panamanian law enforcement authorities worked jointly with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to seize over 32 metric tons of cocaine and over $12 million in drug proceeds and assets. ¶16. (SBU) On October 30-31, 2006, Panama hosted a multilateral conference for Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) members from the United States, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil to discuss strategies and preventative measures to protect critical infrastructure vulnerabilities from potential terrorist activities. The conference included expert presentations on topics such as telecommunications, cybersecurity, and international port security. Representatives from each country provided an overview of the agencies, programs, and tactical measures implemented to protect critical infrastructure. The meetings were a preparatory step for the planned February 2007 CICTE conference in Panama which will be a larger scale event aimed at including all CICTE member states. ¶17. (SBU) Panama's Colon Free Trade Zone (CFZ) is the second largest in the world and over 2400 companies and 25 banks operate there, importing and re-exporting goods from around the world, including the Middle East. Due to its high level of unemployment rate, high level of poverty, and its use by drug smugglers, the adjacent town of Colon has a critical crime rate. The GOP is concerned about the possibility of terrorist groups exploiting Colon's poverty and drug smuggling routes to further their goals. ¶18. (SBU) Panama is an international offshore banking center. While the GOP has taken extensive measures to combat money laundering, the banking system and the CFZ still serve as vehicles for illicit finance. Panama's Foreign Ministry, Council for Public Security and National Defense, Financial Analysis Unit, and the Superintendent of Banks are fully cooperative in reviewing terrorism finance lists. In 2006, no terrorist assets were discovered. The Panamanian legislature passed legislation restricting possession of precursor chemicals and toughened laws on money laundering. ¶19. (SBU) Panama did not make any arrests, trials, or convictions of terrorists in 2006. The GOP did not extradite or request extradition of any suspected terrorist to or from other countries during 2006. The United States did not request Panama to extradite any suspected terrorists in 2006. Article 24 of the Panamanian Constitution prohibits the extradition of Panamanian nationals for any reason and of foreign nationals for political crimes. Also, the GOP will not extradite anyone for a crime punishable by death, unless the requesting country provides formal assurance that the individual will not receive a penalty greater than Panama's maximum sentence (for any crime) of 20 years imprisonment. ¶20. (U) Embassy point of contact for this report is Poloff Carrie Lee, email LeeCK2@state.gov, phone number 011-507-207-7131. Eaton