TURIN 2006 WINTER OLYMPICS--USG SITUATION REPORT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 ROME 000429 SIPDIS NOFORN SENSITIVE PASS TO TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) AND GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO); DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR S/S-O, S/CT, EUR, DS, AND CA E.O. 12958: DECL: X1 TAGS: ASEC CASC CMGT ECON IT KOLY OVIP PTER OLYMPICS SUBJECT: TURIN 2006 WINTER OLYMPICS--USG SITUATION REPORT (SITREP) #7, 02/13/2006 REF: ROME 407 Classified By: Deborah Graze, Consul General Milan for reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (SBU) The following cable provides information on security, public diplomacy, and consular activities in Turin, Italy, for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games as of 02/09/2006. ¶2. (SBU) The interagency Olympic Security Coordination (OSC) Office can be contacted on a 24-hour basis at the following numbers: USG Joint Operations Center (JOC) 39-011-55-99-793/794/564 (tel); 011-39-011-55-99-590 (fax). USG Threat Integration Center (TIC) 39-011-55-99-790/791 (tel); 011-39-011-55-99-590 (fax). ¶3. (SBU) Attached is a key for USG acronyms used within this cable: Olympic Security Coordination Office (OSC); Joint Operations Center (JOC); USG Threat Integration Center (TIC); Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC); National Information Center for the Winter Olympics (CINO); Turin Olympics Committee (TOROC); International Olympics Committee (IOC); US Olympic Committee (USOC); Transportation Security Administration (TSA); Public Affairs/Public Diplomacy (PA/PD); Consular Affairs (CA). KEY EVENTS -------------- ¶4. (U) The first weekend of Olympic sporting events occurred on 02/11/2006 and 02/12/2006 without disruption. Large crowds continue to flock to downtown Turin to attend the nightly medals ceremonies and concerts, spectators have remained orderly, and security remains visible at all public venues. While heightened awareness by security forces continues, USOC personnel observe some problems with access control and transportation at certain Olympics venues. Italian authorities remain focused on opposition group events planned for the weekend of 02/17/2006-02/19/2006. SECURITY -------------- ¶5. (U) Terrorist Activity: No activity has been identified. Italian officials remain alert for indications of terrorist operations and additional OSOC personnel are available for immediate recall to supplement existing 24/7 JOC and TIC staff, should an Olympics-related incident occur. ¶6. (SBU) Threats: There is still no indication that terrorist organizations intend to target the Olympic Games. Italian law enforcement authorities remain on high alert for suspicious activity throughout Italy, despite the lack of specific, credible terrorist threat. The actions of groups opposed to the Olympics and the TAV (high-speed train) continue to be a concern, and Italian security forces are working with their international counterparts to diminish the potential for disruption of the Games in coming week. ¶7. (SBU) Demonstrations/Protests: USOC personnel and Italian authorities remain concerned about and focused on anti-globalization protestors, radical left-wing youth, and anarchist groups who may attempt to capitalize on Olympics media coverage to advertise their causes. Specifically, Italian officials are focused on possibility of activists converging in Turin between 02/17/2006-02/19/2006 to organize demonstrations during the three-day symposium being held by mountain village mayors and opponents of the TAV high-speed rail line. Press reports large numbers of activists coming to demonstrate in coming week. The OSOC liaison to the Italian (multi-)National Center for the Winter Olympics (CINO) reports that European Union authorities can not/not confirm that multi-national activists are planning to arrive in Turin in coming days. A schedule of the symposium events has been published in the Italian Communist daily Il Manifesto, as well as on the website www.NOTAV.it. OSOC personnel will continue to monitor activist websites for further information on the symposium and any planned protests or disruptions. In addition, OSOC liaison with CINO continues to monitor European law enforcement tracking of possible travel to Turin area for purposes of disrupting Olympics activities. The combination of logistical problems in transportation from mountain venues and the no-global/anarchist focus on the mountains for their gatherings heightens USG and Italian/TOROC attention. ¶8. (S/NF) In conjunction with their concerns for the potential for demonstrations linked to the planned symposium, Italian security officials are worried that some radical activist elements may seize the opportunity to target for disruption critical infrastructure, such as electric lines, telephone lines, and transportation. In response, police have increased observation of people passing through rail stations and airports. For additional information regarding Italians fears about possible targeting of infrastructure, please see TD-314/08114-06, dated 02/03/2006. OSOC continues to work with Italian counterparts to obtain additional information on any disruptive activity planned to coincide with the Olympics and particularly during the 02/17/2006-02/19/2006 timeframe. ¶9. (U) According to TOROC, the No Olimpiadi, activist group announced a series of peaceful demonstrations scheduled to occur until the end of the Olympic Games. The group will reportedly hand out No Olimpiadi, flyers near points of interest in Turin. Law enforcement agencies are closely monitoring the situation, and are prepared to prevent any disorder that may interfere with the sporting competition schedule. ¶10. (SBU) Incidents: In a follow-up to previously reported information on an illegal attempt to gain access to Italian law enforcement computer systems, the OSOC representative to the Italian National Olympics Information Sharing Center reported that authorities have identified the alleged hacker. The individual is reportedly a contract TOROC employee who was attempting to gain access to the TOROC Information Management system, rather than the Law Enforcement Management system as previously reported. The Italian Ministry of Interior stated that the TOROC system is not classified and does not contain law enforcement or sensitive security information. However, Italian officials remain concerned and will continue their investigation in order to ascertain the individual,s intentions. SECURITY OPERATIONS -------------- ¶11. (SBU) USG security activities -- ongoing liaison with host-government entities, Olympics security officials, US corporate security and the USSS security detail -- continue. ¶12. (SBU) Italian authorities notified the TSA representative located at the Turin Airport that they stopped two suspicious individuals attempting to pick up a package showing Arabic writing on the box. Subsequent action revealed that the box was full of pamphlets; an Italian investigation into the incident is ongoing and OSOC is assisting Italian counterparts and TSA by running name checks on the individuals. ¶13. (SBU) In an update to Italian law enforcement activity described in previous sitrep, Italian authorities located the No-TAV protester who was accredited to the mountain venue site of the biathlon. The individual,s credentials were revoked but later reissued at the order of the venue manager. TOROC protested the reissue and requested that TOROC,s Management Operations Center reverse the decision, though it is unlikely that the subject,s credentials will be revoked for a second time. OSOC personnel have noted that in the absence of specific derogatory information, it is likely difficult for TOROC to withdraw credentials once they have been issued. OSOC will continue to work through liaison channels at CINO in order to ascertain whether Italian authorities have identified the individual in question as a definite security risk and whether an investigation into his activities is ongoing. ¶14. (SBU) Anecdotal evidence from OSOC personnel at various Olympic venues indicates that there continues to be problems with transportation and access control. OSOC elements in mountain venues reported that a chaotic transportation system left crowds of spectators waiting several hours to board buses for return to Turin. Coupled with the fact that activists will be holding a symposium near these venues in upcoming days, OSOC believes that there is a high potential for deliberate disruption of transportation routes into and out of the mountains. OSOC will continue to work with Italian counterparts to determine how they intend to improve transportation control for the upcoming weekend. ¶15. (SBU) OSOC personnel attending the medals ceremony and concert at Piazza Castello on 02/12/2006 indicated that there continue to be residual problems with access control at that site. According to the OSOC employees, a group of youths arrived late to the concert and attempted to enter the venue via the exit gate. Police stopped the group and eventually moved them through the bystanding crowd to the proper entry point. It should be noted that the entrances and exits to the secure portion of Piazza Castello are not well marked and there tends to be confusion among the large crowds of spectators as to how they are to gain entry to the site. VIPs -------------- ¶16. (SBU) Daughter Barbara Bush remains in Turin on private travel, with an expected departure date of 02/15/2006. On 02/13/2006, she will attend morning Olympic events in the mountain venues and will return to Turin in the afternoon to attend additional competitions. Thus far, there has been no attempt by activist groups to target or hinder the movements of Miss Bush and no press coverage regarding her visit has been noted. The Public Affairs Office in Turin has requested that the White House provide press guidance should we be contacted by the media regarding her visit. ¶17. (SBU) A number of international VIPs remain in Turin. Due to their presence, occasional street closures, security checks and elevated police presence are expected to remain in place throughout the duration of the Games. PENDING MATTERS -------------- ¶18. (U) The theft of a TOROC vehicle pass remains unresolved. OSOC remains concerned that a vehicle pass would allow individuals of concern to approach large numbers of spectators, despite Italian law enforcement claims that additional screening sites would prevent this. Underscoring this concern, Italian daily La Repubblica reported that on 02/12/2006, a tour bus at the Men,s Downhill Skiing venue inadvertently deviated from normal security procedures and discharged its passengers at the entrance to the venue. (Spectators are normally dropped off at a distance from the venue and then must walk to the entrance.) This caused gridlock at the entrance and disrupted the efforts of security forces as they attempted to move the vehicle. It is unclear how the bus was able to approach the front of the venue without being stopped by security forces. OSOC continues to interact with Italian counterparts regarding security concerns related to the missing pass. PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY -------------- ¶19. (U) Italian media continue to focus heavily on Olympics coverage, domestic politics and the general election campaign, and the discovery of Avian Flu in Italy. Indicating current Italian priorities, features on medals ceremonies are taking precedence on the front page over stories on domestic politics. Stories with security-related themes continue to be popular and a number of newspapers are now also commenting extensively on the activities and performances of US athletes. The following is a summary compiled from local media: ¶20. (U) Security Concerns: On 02/12/2006, Communist daily Il Manifesto noted that the authors of the Olympics 2006 Black Book, will present a copy of the text to the University of Turin library. The book focuses on the relationship between military/industrial corporation Finmeccanica and General Electrics (GE); it also states that GE controls NBC, the US media network responsible for Olympics coverage. OSOC and OSAC continue to work with US corporate sponsors such as GE and NBC to counter any possible protest attempts that may arise from the publicity surrounding the Olympics Black Book. ¶21. (U) Influential daily La Stampa published a satiric look at Olympic security procedures, noting that the Ministry of Interior is now contending with questions as to why the level of security appears to exceed the known threat to the Games. Poking fun at a previously reported incident in which an American with a bag of camera batteries sparked a security response, the paper advises anyone wanting to attract the attention of law enforcement authorities to park their vehicle around Olympic sites with bags of batteries or Arabic newspapers in the back seat. ¶22. (U) Left-leaning La Repubblica contained two articles on the increased security in place for the Olympics, noting that the necessity of queuing up at magnetometers has created long lines and incovenience at checkpoints. It also highlighted transportation problems in the mountain venues, including the incident involving the bus noted in this sitrep. The second article commented on the arrest of 12 individuals for minor crimes, including the detention of a Palestinian who illegally entered the country. ¶23. (U) Of possible concern for US and Italian security officials, Il Giornale reported that a US website (shopmetrospy.com) is now selling t-shirts featuring the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. ¶24. (U) US Olympic Team: A number of daily papers contained generally positive coverage of the performances of the US Olympic Team. La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa all reported on the success of halfpipe gold medalist Shaun White. La Repubblica commented on men,s downhill skier Bode Miller,s fifth place finish, while La Stampa covered Michelle Kwan,s withdrawal from the skating competition. ¶25. (U) PA continues to work with USOC and others to schedule interviews with US athletes for the Italian press. The Public Affairs Office in Turin may be reached at 39-011-55-99-368. CONSULAR AFFAIRS -------------- ¶26. (U) The Consular Office in Turin received two requests for service from American citizens on 02/12/2006. The first incident involved a member of a corporate sponsor group, whose passport was stolen while he was riding on a tram. ¶27. (U) The other case was a welfare/whereabouts query from the parent of an American citizen who failed to arrive at a Turin youth hostel. Consular coordination with Consulate General Milan and airport police at Bergamo airport revealed that the individual in question had returned to his study program in London. The parent was informed and the case was closed. ¶28. (U) The Consular Office may be contacted at the following numbers: 011-5599-330 (tel.); 011-5599-551 (fax). Additional information may be found at http://milan.usconsulate.gov. SPOGLI