VENEZUELA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS CARACAS 000020

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT (RSHORE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 175925


1. The following is post's update on the Bolivarian Republic
of Venezuela (BRV) for the 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism:

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's cooperation in
international efforts against terrorism remained negligible.
President Hugo Chavez continued to criticize U.S.
counterterrorism efforts, enhanced cooperation with state
sponsors of terrorism Cuba and Iran, and was unwilling to
deny safe haven to members of Colombian terrorist groups.

Chavez' ideological sympathy for the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army
(ELN) limited Venezuelan cooperation with Colombia in
combating terrorism. FARC and ELN units continued to cross
into Venezuelan territory for rest and re-supply with
relative impunity. Splinter groups of the FARC and another
designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, the United
Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC),operated in western
parts of Venezuela and were involved in narcotrafficking.
The government pursued the latter with greater energy.

It remains unclear whether and to what extent the Government
of Venezuela provided material support to Colombian
terrorists. However, weapons and ammunition -- some from
official Venezuelan stocks and facilities -- regularly
turned up in the hands of Colombian terrorist organizations.
The government did not systematically police the 1,400-mile
Venezuelan-Colombian border to prevent the movement of groups
of armed men or interdict arms flows to narcoterrorists.

A member of an Islamic extremist group in Venezuela placed
two pipebombs outside the American Embassy in Caracas on
October 23, 2006. Venezuelan police responded quickly,
safely disposed of the two pipebombs, and immediately made
one arrest. The investigation by Venezuelan authorities
resulted in the additional arrest of the alleged ideologicial
leader of the group. At year's end, both suspects remained
in jail and prosecutors are pressing terrorism charges
against them.

Responding to a complaint filed by two deported ETA
terrorists in the Interamerican Human Rights Commission, BRV
representatives negotiated and signed an "amicable
settlement" in June 2006. The BRV agreed in the settlement
to facilitate the naturalization of Basques who came to
Venezuela as political refugees in the 1980's as a result of
a bilateral agreement between the governments of Spain and
Venezuela. After media reports revealed that ETA terrorists
would obtain substantial benefits from the settlement, the
BRV repudiated the terms of the agreement in December 2006.

Venezuelan citizenship, identity, and travel documents
remained easy to obtain, making Venezuela a potentially
attractive way-station for terrorists. International
authorities remained suspicious of the integrity of
Venezuelan documents and their issuance process.


2. Embassy Point of Contact is Political Officer Adam Center
(Office Phone: 011 58 212 907-8531, e-mail
CenterAM@state.gov).

WHITAKER