INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE AECA SECTION 3 VIOLATION

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 SAN SALVADOR 000142

SIPDIS

STATE PASS PM/DDTC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2016
TAGS: ETTC KOMC ES
SUBJECT: INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE AECA SECTION 3 VIOLATION

REF: A. STATE 207667

B. KRZYWDA-STITZEL EMAIL

Classified By: DCM Michael A. Butler. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S) Summary. Salvadoran Minister of Defense Otto Romero
told Charge on December 2, 2005, that the arms seized in
Honduras in April 2005 were likely lost by the Salvadoran
Armed Forces (ESAF) to guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti
National Liberation front (FMLN) during El Salvador's
1980-1992 civil war. Of the 13 weapons with legible serial
numbers, the Ministry of Defense has traced 7 to war-time
inventories; none of these appear in inventories conducted
after the war ended. Romero said that FMLN forces captured
many weapons in the early years of the war and likely did not
turn them all in at the end of the war, claims substantiated
by reporting during the war and the implementation of the
peace accords. Post believes the arms found in Honduras did
not come from ESAF stocks. End Summary.

Romero Tells Charge Weapons Lost During War
--------------

2. (S) Salvadoran Minister of Defense Otto Romero told Charge
on December 2, 2005, that arms seized in Honduras in April
2005 were likely lost by Salvadoran Armed Forces to FMLN
guerrillas during El Salvador's 1980-1992 civil war. He said
that he and his senior staff first investigated the
possibility that the weapons had been removed from Salvadoran
armories since 1992, but that they had uncovered no evidence
to support that possibility.


3. (S) Of the 13 weapons traced to U.S. Foreign Military
Sales to El Salvador from 1981-1984, Romero said he was able
to locate 7 in war-time inventories from military
installations and locations throughout the country, such as
La Union and San Miguel in the eastern part of the country
and Chalatenango in the western part. Three were reported in
Ref. B. Three additional weapons are listed in a second
report Romero provided, translated in Para. 9, and 2 more in
a third report, translated in Para 10. In summary, these 3
reports indicate that 7 weapons appear in Salvadoran
inventories during the war--1984 (M16A1 #5367332),1987
(M16A1 #133188 and M16A1 #134314),1988 (M16A1 #5402010),
1989 (AR-15 #131390 and #133658),and 1991 (M16A1
#5388749)--while one is registered, but not located in
inventories (M16A1 #5414938). Romero told Charge that if
these weapons were removed from Salvadoran armories in recent
years, they would have appeared in periodic unit-level
inventories conducted since 1992. He said that he had
assigned a colonel to lead a thorough investigation into the
matter and would continue to research all available records.
(Note: On January 11, 2006, the colonel assigned to
investigate told the Milgroup section chief that no
additional information has been found. End Note.)


4. (S) The Minister reported that during the war, FMLN force
regularly captured government soldiers, resulting in the loss
of hundreds if not thousands of weapons. Romero, who was a
junior officer during the war, said that in the early years
of the war especially, the FMLN was well trained, well
equipped, and capable of operating as a conventional military
force. He mentioned that a base was overrun in the Department
of Chalatenango and the contents of the armory fell into the
hands of the FMLN. In that battle and others, documentation
was destroyed. There were also numerous other examples of
battlefield losses of men and weapons, he told the Charge.
(Note: A State Department Briefing Paper on the war in El
Salvador dated June 10, 1983, states "Guerrilla assaults
against small towns and garrison points continue to meet with
success, resulting in the capture or surrender of large
numbers of government troops and significant quantities of
arms and ammunition. End Note.) Romero said that during the
war, it was difficult to maintain an inventory of weapons
lost, and records are incomplete.


5. (S) Romero said that he did not believe the FMLN turned in
all its arms in 1992. As an example, he mentioned the FMLN
museum in the city of Perquin, where a variety of arms are
displayed in violation of the Peace Accords. Romero told the
Charge that he was concerned that so many weapons in good
condition were discovered in Honduras and said that the
possibility that the FMLN had been hoarding them made him
uneasy. (Note: Since the war ended, weapons caches have been
frequently uncovered after earthquakes and mud slides that
disturb the earth in which they are buried. However, these
weapons are usually found in poor condition. U.N. documents
state that the U.N. Observer Mission to El Salvador (ONUSAL)
had supervised the destruction of more than 10,000 small arms
by 1995. However, a 1995 ONUSAL report indicates that "The
FMLN had kept large quantities of weapons in hidden deposits
in El Salvador and certain neighboring countries." Open
source research on the disarmament process suggest that the
FMLN hid a significant number of arms in El Salvador,
Honduras, and Nicaragua. Meanwhile, a 1993 ONUSAL report
suggests that many small arms were retained by ESAF soldiers
demobilized at the end of the conflict. The report also notes
that ESAF inventories did not include all the weapons
distributed during the conflict. End note.)

No Information on PNC Confiscated Weapons
--------------

6. (SBU) Former Vice Minister of Governance Rodrgio Avila,
now Chief of the National Police, has promised to provide
Emboffs with information on weapons seized from gang members
and other criminals. Post will forward that information to
DDTC as soon as it is made available.

Milgroup Finds no Matching Weapons from 2003 Destruction
Exercise
-------------- --------------

7. (SBU) During the period of September 15-29, 2003, the
Milgroup coordinated the destruction of 11,522 M16A1 and 124
M16A2 rifles as part of a Department of State funded
initiative. All weapons were inventoried by two U.S. military
officers prior to undergoing melting at a civilian contracted
facility. One of the officers was a member of the New
Hampshire National Guard and also an agent with the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Salvadoran military officers
assisted in the verification process. The weapons were
inventoried and kept in sealed containers until destruction
was accomplished. Numbered seals on all containers were used.
Given number of weapons and the fact that only two smelters
were used, the ESAF provided eight military police guards to
safeguard weapons 24/7. The group camped at the smelter, next
to the weapons, for approximately a week and a half. Most of
the rifles destroyed had already been disassembled and
cannibalized for parts throughout the years. While it is
possible that guard personnel stole M16s during the
destruction exercise, there is no evidence of loss of
accountability of serial numbered items (cannibalized lower
receivers). Also, the condition of the weapons and related
parts prior to destruction did not provide for future use.
The Milgroup has conducted a check of all 11,522 M16A1s and
the 124 M16A2s destroyed and found no matches against the
serial numbers provided.

Post Believes Weapons Likely Lost During War
--------------

8. (S) Comment: Post finds Romero's assessment, that the arms
found in Honduras were lost during the war, to be the most
likely scenario. During the intervening years, they could
have been stored and maintained in El Salvador, Honduras, or
Nicaragua. It is unlikely that these weapons were removed
from ESAF stocks within the last year or so. This assessment
is based on the reality that during the war, hundreds if not
thousands of weapons were lost, and many more were probably
hidden by the FMLN and former government soldiers after the
war. Post is confident in the ESAF's current ability to
control weapons stocks and prevent large-scale theft of the
scale that would have been necessary to stockpile 174 M16A1s.
End Comment.


9. (S) Translation of Minister's Second Report
-------------- --
Begin Text:

Secret

SIPDIS

Report Number 2

Subject: M16A1 Rifles Captured in Choloma, Honduras, April
15, 2005

Further to this subject, the following information is
provided:

One. In our inventories we have located M16A1 Rifle with
serial number 5414938, which appears to be registered, but
there is no backup documentation available.

Two. With regards to the rifles with serial numbers 131390
and 133658, we have located them in a 17 July 1989 inventory;
it is noteworthy that, although located, we do not physically
posses the arms, nor do we posses documentation to
substantiate their withdrawal from service or loss.

Three. With respect the M16A1 with serial number 5402010,
according to our records, it was destroyed in an aviation
accident on September 28, 1998.

With regards to the rest of the weapons, we will continue our
investigation; however, the likelihood these were lost is
very high, as would have happened during the armed conflict
that took place in our country from 1980-1992.


10. (S) Translation of Minister's Third Report
-------------- --
Begin Text:
Secret

SIPDIS

Report Number 3

Subject: M16A1 Rifles Captured in Choloma, Honduras, April
15, 2005

Further to this subject, the following information is
provided:

One. In an inventory conducted in 1987, we have located M16A1
Rifle with serial number 134314, noted as unserviceable, but
there is no backup documentation available.

Two. With regards to the M16A1 rifle with serial number
5388749, we have located it in a 1991 inventory, but we have
no additional records regarding its loss or destruction.

Furthermore, following up on the M16A1 rifles with serial
numbers 5360191 and 9604906, the likelihood these were lost
is very high, as would have happened during the armed
conflict that took place in our country from 1980-1992.


11. (S) DAO, ECON, Milgroup, ORA, and POL cleared this
message.
Barclay