TRINIDAD & TOBAGO GOVERNMENT REACTS TO JFK TERROR

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 000545

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

CARACAS FOR LEGATT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL CVIS TT
SUBJECT: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO GOVERNMENT REACTS TO JFK TERROR
PLOT

REF: PORT OF SPAIN 00517

Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, EUGENE P. SWEENEY
FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Patrick Manning requested a
meeting with Ambassador Austin June 4 to pledge continued
assistance in all law enforcement and legal matters to fight
terror, including efforts to extradite two of the JFK bomb
plotters currently being held in Trinidad. Manning had
already put out a helpful public statement calling for
complete cooperation with the US to fight terror. Minister
of National Security Joseph requested greater working level
cooperation in law enforcement and intelligence sharing. The
Ambassador released a statement just before the meeting
praising US, T&T, and Guyanese authorities for their
successful cooperation on this matter. The PM also noted that
certain southern Caribbean nations would sign an agreement in
July allowing the joint patrolling of their waters. END
SUMMARY


2. (C) At the outset of the June 4 afternoon meeting, PM
Manning declared forthrightly that the GOTT supports the
efforts of the USG to eradicate terrorism &from the face of
the earth.8 He said that his government has cooperated and
intends to continue cooperating closely with the US to this
effect. Commenting that this attempt to bomb JFK airport has
great potential for escalation, he called for close
cooperation in ensuring that things do not get out of hand
and the Caribbean region is not seen as a hotbed of terror.
Manning,s office had issued a helpful statement on Saturday,
June 2 condemning terrorism and calling for continued close
cooperation with the US in the effort to counter terror.
Ambassador Austin thanked the PM for the GOTT,s assistance
in this and prior matters concerning law enforcement
cooperation and agreed with the need to stay in close contact
to manage potential problems. The Ambassasor remarked that
he did not consider T&T as a hot bed of terror. Before the
meeting began, he passed a copy of a press statement, just
released by the embassy, praising the close cooperation
between US and T&T authorities on this matter. The PM was
accompanied by Minister of National Security Joseph, Attorney
General Jeremie, Commissioner of Police Paul, Assistant
Police Commissioner for Special Branch Philbert among others.
The DCM accompanied the Ambassador.


3. (C) The PM asked about the extent of the involvement of
the local Islamic group the Jamaat al-Muslimeen (JAM),which
instigated the failed 1990 coup in Trinidad and Tobago.
Ambassador Austin replied that our best information indicated
that the JAM was not involved. He did not foresee any USG
request for extradition of JAM members related to this plot.
The PM responded that the GOTT will continue to monitor the
situation with these types of groups. He also stated firmly
that the GOTT would cooperate with any extradition
arrangements required.


4. (C) Minister of National Security Martin Joseph, while
emphasizing that T&T wants to continue cooperating closely
with the US in the law enforcement field, asked for greater
intelligence sharing with US officials on such cases. He
explained that TT authorities were surprised by the request
last Friday to arrest the individuals of interest, to which
they quickly complied nonetheless. (Post Note: Over the
last several months, police officials in Trinidad were
briefed on the counter terrorism threat and informed that
immediate action could take place at any time. INTEL
services in T&T do not share information.) Ambassador Austin
regretted that earlier notice regarding the arrests was not
possible as USG agencies had only received information at the
very last minute of the travel of one of the key individuals
from Guyana, Abdul Kadir. He added that we would try to
encourage more sharing of information at the working level.


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Regional Security ship patrols
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5. (C) PM Manning took advantage of the meeting to inform us
that a treaty will be signed in Barbados in July allowing for
joint patrols of regional waters in the Southern Caribbean.
He said that Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, and T&T will begin a security arrangement


that he hopes will expand soon to other Eastern Caribbean
nations. He also mentioned that while T&T and Barbados
already have radar to protect their coasts, this program
would soon be expanding to cover Grenada, St. Vincent and
St. Lucia. He hopes to extend these two arrangements to
Antigua soon, which he said was particularly vulnerable to
being used by narcotraffickers.


6. (C) Also in a regional security vein, Manning further
related that the three Offshore Patrol Vessels that the GOTT
is buying from the UK, and for which he has requested USG
financial assistance to allow them to patrol up the Eastern
Caribbean (reftel),should be operational for 300 days per
year. T&T,s air guard, which has been plagued by
operational problems, will also have to meet stringent new
operational standards. Manning concluded that because of all
these improvements, the southern Caribbean would be a much
safer place by 2009.

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Comment
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7. (C) An anxious Manning wanted to make it abundantly clear
to us that T&T wants to continue to do whatever is necessary
to fight terror, narcotrafficking and other crimes in the
region and would appreciate continued US efforts to counter
the image of T&T as a terrorist haven. T&T,s record in
recent years on law enforcement cooperation, especially
including extraditions, with us has been superlative by any
standard. As mentioned in reftel, however, Manning feels
that the US does not do enough for T&T and the region. Post
strongly recommends that this exemplary cooperation be
singled out in any public statements issued by the White
House or the Department at the time of the upcoming
Washington Caribbean Conference, and reinforced in private
meetings with CARICOM leaders.


8. (C) As regards the JAM, the GOTT is particularly
concerned about any JAM involvement in terror. The GOTT
would like nothing better than to receive an extradition
request from the USG for Abu Bakr and his top henchmen.
Press reporting indicates that two of the men arrested in
connection with the plot are former JAM members. Beyond
that, however, there is no other JAM connection with this
plot. AbuBakr and JAM was not interested in helping these
four individuals with their terrorism plot against JFK
airport. This organization is closely monitored by TT
authorities largely because of its current criminal ties.
Its leader, Yasin AbuBakr, is due to be tried on sedition
charges beginning next week. Previous efforts to convict him
have failed largely due to witness and jury intimidation,
which the GOTT seems incapable of stopping, and it remains
questionable whether this sedition case will succeed where
others have failed.
AUSTIN