MONTENEGRO - COLLECTION OF TERRORIST DATA OVERSEAS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000012 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/CT, EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV PINR CVIS SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO - COLLECTION OF TERRORIST DATA OVERSEAS Immigration Databases -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Montenegro has a central immigration database kept in the Ministry of Interior headquarters which is used for tracking entries and exits. The database includes the registry of Montenegrin citizens, arrest warrants, etc. Montenegro has still not established a network to connect all border crossings with the central headquarters in Podgorica. In order to do that, an "optical cable" is to be laid and connected to all border crossings throughout Montenegro. So far the following border crossings have been connected to the central database: Airports of Podgorica and Tivat and the Port of Bar. Consequently, the computerized immigration database is currently available only at those three places of entry. The information from the other border crossings (road crossing points into Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia (including Kosovo),and Albania) is collected manually and backed up on portable computer devices, and retrieved in the central database every 7 days. As this system is slow, cables are sent, as the means of communication between the border crossings and headquarters, for urgent cases. ¶2. (SBU) The major problem of the immigration database is the fact that the system is not connected to the universal network system to cover the entire Montenegro, which limits the effectiveness of the system used to track entries and exits. Second problem is that police officers must manually input information on all passengers traveling from and to Montenegro into the computers at the places of entry. This is not only slow, but also prevents them from focusing more carefully on their usual "policing" activities at the places of entry/exits. In order to overcome this problem Montenegro would need electronic "code readers" and more pro-active exchange of information with other countries. Most police staff deployed at the places of entry/exits are well trained. At some border crossings (mostly with Bosnia and Herzegovina) border crossings are faced with electricity supply problems (although posts are supplied with the electricity generators, frequent drops of voltage makes their operations more difficult). The problem particularly increases during the summer holiday season, when the requirement to input data about each traveler into the computer, results in long lines. ¶3. (SBU) The national immigration data base is generally updated every seven days. Watch list and Information Sharing -------------- ¶4. (SBU) At this stage Montenegro does not have a name-based watch list system, used to screen travelers at the places of entry. The reason for that is the recent dissolution (in June) of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The new watch-list is still under construction. ¶5. (SBU) Montenegro maintains the following central data bases: - list of persons wanted by domestic judiciary; - operative data (police findings, various information etc.); - punitive registry ; - registry of temporary/permanent residence. Montenegrin police screen travelers on the basis of available information. This includes names of deported persons, terrorist lookouts, criminal warrants, etc. PODGORICA 00000012 002 OF 002 For screening individuals, Montenegrin Ministry of Interior uses Interpol, and UN lists. Montenegro has signed bilateral agreements on combating organized crime and terrorism with Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Austria, Italy, and Albania. Biometrics -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Biometric systems are not in place at any port of entry. For the purpose of tracking entries and exists Montenegrin Interior Ministry does not use any of biometric technology, such as fingerprint identification, facial recognition, iris recognition, hand geometry, retinal identification, DNA-based identification, etc. ¶7. (SBU) Montenegrin Interior Ministry does not issue a machine readable passport containing biometric information. They plan to issue a passport, and other identification documents, with biometric data as of the middle of 2007; a U.S.-based firm (Datacard Group) has been selected as the supplier. FERRILL