AMMAN EAC OF 12/06/2008

S E C R E T AMMAN 003266

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/CC, DS/IP/NEA, DS/TIA/ITA, NEA/EX
EMBASSIES FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2018
TAGS: ASEC PTER JO
SUBJECT: AMMAN EAC OF 12/06/2008

REF: A. TD-314/083723

B. AMMAN 3169

C. AMMAN 3260

Classified By: RSO Michael Mack for reason 1.4 (C)


1. (S) Ambassador convened a core meeting of the Amman
Emergency Action Committee on December 6, 2008, to discuss
new information regarding the threat described in reftel A
and courses of action for Post.


2. (S/NF) GRPO presented the EAC with tearline language which
they will pass to the General Intelligence Directorate (GID.)
The tearline indicates that an Al Qaeda operative may have
entered Jordan with the intention of attacking "possibly the
Le Royal hotel." The tearline was also passed to the
Protective Security Directorate (PSD),which declined to pass
the information to the hotel on the grounds that the report
was part of an active law-enforcement investigation.


3. (S) PSD and GID reported that they are taking immediate
measures to bolster security at Le Royal hotel and at other
luxury hotels in Jordan. Jordanian efforts to secure the
hotel were confirmed by a visit by DCM and RSO. These
measures include:
- Extra patrol vehicles and a significant augmentation of
personnel from the PSD.
- Vehicles and personnel from the newly-formed Gendarmerie (a
new division of the PSD.)
- Plainclothes personnel from the GID.
- Surveillance units from the GID.
- A review of security procedures at the hotel by security
professionals.


4. (S) The EAC noted that a general Warden message was
released last week based on this report (reftel C) warning of
an increased threat, especially during the upcoming holiday
season, to luxury hotels and other tourist sites. The EAC
determined that there were at least 3 USG employees at the Le
Royal hotel, and possibly other American citizens. The EAC
concluded, based on the active measures being taken by
Jordanian authorities that appropriate countermeasures appear
to be in place. The Jordanian authorities are taking
extraordinary defensive measures to secure the hotel and
offensive measures to apprehend the suspect. If the
Department determines through an inter-agency assessment that
the threat is not counterable, then a Warden message should
be released and notification to Le Royal hotel and other
hotels in Jordan should be made through the Overseas Security
Advisory Council (OSAC.)


5. (SBU) On balance, the EAC concluded that the heightened
security procedures at Post were appropriate to the general
threat environment. The EAC will closely monitor the
intelligence and security information regarding this report
and will reconvene as necessary.
Beecroft