TERRORIST FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER

UNCLAS QUITO 002732 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS SHELIA HINDS STATE FOR S/CT PATTY HILL STATE FOR INL/C/CP STEVEN PETERSON STATE FOR IO/PSC JOHN SANDAGE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTFN PTER EFIN ETTC KVPR PREL EC SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER REF: STATE 181096 ¶1. In response to reftel, Embassy Quito's Terrorist Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO) is DCM Jefferson Brown, telephone number 593-2-256-2890 ext. 4420. His unclassified email address is brownjt2@state.gov. The Deputy TFCO is Economic Officer Christian Bollinger, telephone number 593-2-256-2890 ext. 4464. His email address is bollingercj@state.gov. ¶2. Post is providing technical support through the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the American Bar Association (ABA) to implement Ecuador's Money Laundering Law passed in late October 2005. A critical aspect of making the new law effective will be establishing a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). While there has been good progress in some aspects of creating the FIU, the selection of a Director has been stalled due, in large part, to the uncertainty created by the 2006 Presidential elections. ¶3. In spite of this setback, the GOE has used the new law to initiate a large money laundering case against members of a Colombian drug organization with significant assets in Ecuador. The Narcotics Affairs Section is also providing technical assistance through the ABA to help Ecuadorian prosecutors and judges to effectively adjudicate this and other money laundering cases. ¶4. The Political and Public Affairs sections have used private and public diplomacy to increase support for combating money laundering, while the Economic section works with the Superintendent of Banks and others on the issue, with special attention to terrorist financing. DEA investigations also contribute to these mission objectives. ¶5. Our key short-term priorities continue to be the effective implementation of the recent money laundering law and more effective regulation of the banking sector. Post would welcome any program of technical assistance that would help us meet those priorities. JEWELL