BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 07 BEIJING 003117 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT, FOR, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/DO, DS/TIA/OSAC, DS/P/MECU, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/DO/P, DS/ICI/CI, DS/T/ATA, DS/TIA, DS/TIA/PII, DS/CC, EAP/CM, S/CT, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, PASS TO TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) OPERATIONS CENTER, HONG KONG FOR RSO AND LEGAT AND USSS, SHANGHAI FOR RSO, SHENYANG FOR RSO,CHENGDU FOR RSO, GUANGZHOU FOR RSO, USSS HQS FOR INV, OPO, HNL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2038 TAGS: ASEC CASC CH CMGT ECON KOLY OVIP PREL PTER SUBJECT: BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT 14, 08/14/2008 REF: A. BEIJING 3065 ¶B. BEIJING 3106 Classified By: DCM Dan Piccuta for reason 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (SBU) The following cable provides information on security, public diplomacy, political, and consular activities related to the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games as of 08/14/2008. ¶2. (U) The interagency USG Joint Operations Center (JOC) can be contacted on a 24-hour basis at the following numbers: - JOC Direct Line: 011-86-010-6532-6966. - U.S. Embassy Beijing: 011-86-010-6532-3431, JOC extension ¶6200. - JOC fax: 011-86-010-6532-4763. - STE and fax: 011-86-010-6532-5163. KEY ISSUES -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The condition of Barbara Bachman--one of the U.S. citizen victims of the 08/09/2008 knife attack at Beijing's Drum Tower--continues to improve and she will be med-evaced from Beijing at 2100 hours local time on 08/14/2008 via an SOS international flight. One of Mrs. Bachman's daughters will accompany her on the flight. The U.S. Ambassador is scheduled to visit the Beijing United Hospital prior to her departure to offer his condolences and wish her a speedy recovery; he will also thank the hospital for their efforts in caring for Mrs. Bachman. On 08/15/2008, the remains of Todd Bachman will be flown to the U.S. via a United Airlines flight to Chicago; Elizabeth Bachman McCutcheon will travel home on the same flight. On 08/14/2008, the Ambassador also plans to visit the Chinese tour guide--who was with the Bachmans on the day of the attack and who remains in the Sino-Japanese Hospital--to express sympathy for the injuries she sustained during the assault and to wish her a speedy recovery. SECURITY ISSUES -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Threats: Vague Threat to Athletes and Other Targets: On 08/13/2008, the JOC received unclassified tearline language stating "unsubstantiated information indicated that as of late July 2008, an unknown group in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan planned to attack the Beijing Olympics. The targets included: water supply and electric power supply facilities; stadiums; the Olympic Village facilities; and U.S. athletes." According to the tearline, thre is "no further information on the potential eans or further specific targets of any attack associated with the BEIJING 00003117 002 OF 007 Summer Olympics in Beijing." ¶5. (C/NF) Write-In Claims Threat to Olympics: According to uncorroborated information received from a write-in to a U.S. Government website, an individual named Osama planted a bomb in Las Vegas and was also targeting the Beijing Olympics. There is no further information available to substantiate this report. The vast majority of threat messages from such sources are not credible and the motive of the author is usually to harass and mislead rather than to provide legitimate information. (Please see TD-314/060174-08, dated 08/12/2008, for additional details.) ¶6. (SBU) Incidents: Second Hoax Device in Hong Kong: On 08/14/2008, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Command Post at the Sheraton Hotel--residence of the U.S. Olympics Equestrian Team--reported to USG Field Liaison Officers (FLO) that a hoax bomb device had been discovered in a planter outside the Island Shangri-La Hotel, located approximately two blocks from the Sheraton. HKPF secured the area and conducted a controlled explosion of the device, which consisted of a cell phone wrapped in a wire. USOC and U.S. Equestrian Federation personnel at the Sheraton have been informed of the incident. This is the second hoax bomb to be found in Hong Kong; the first device was discovered on 08/08/2008 at the Causeway Bay train station near Victoria Park (ref. a). ¶7. (SBU) Possible Bomb Scare on Air China Flight: On 08/13/2008, the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu reported the departure of an Air China flight from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet--with a stopover in Chengdu--was delayed after a passenger apparently disembarked in Chengdu without his luggage and did not re-board the flight for Lhasa. Initial reports indicated that Chinese authorities were searching for a passenger named "Ma" (a common surname in China),who they suspected may have placed explosives on the plane and then departed the area. The Regional Security Officer (RSO) in Chengdu contacted the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) for confirmation of the incident but received no information. RSO contacts at the Chengdu airport confirmed that the Air China flight was eventually cleared for take-off and landed safely in Lhasa. ¶8. (SBU) Update on Explosives in Shanghai: On 08/14/2008, the RSO in Shanghai again received no confirmation from Shanghai PSB officials on the reported discovery of a vehicle containing detonators and explosives at the PSB headquarters on 08/13/2008 (ref. b). In addition, the RSO does not exQct to receive additional information from Chinese authorities on local press reports indicating that police detained a Chinese national after a three-hour standoff in which the man claimed to have a bomb and took hostage the office manager of a construction company following a housing dispute. According BEIJING 00003117 003 OF 007 to the news article, this was the fourth bomb hoax in Shanghai in a month. The JOC and RSO have noted the discrepancy between press information on security incidents and the lack of official confirmation of such activity. ¶9. (U) Olympic Collision: Three Chinese citizens were critically injured on 08/13/2008 when the van they were traveling in collided with a Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) bus transporting Olympic Rowing team members and coaches to their venue in Beijing. Three Croatian Rowing team members were also slightly injured in the incident. ¶10. (SBU) U.S. Citizen Again Observed at Judo Venue: On 08/13/2008, FLOs again observed U.S. citizen Michael Whalen at the University of Science and Technological Gymnasium--site of the Olympic judo events. Whalen had previously identified himself to FLOs and others as a BOCOG venue manager and had implied that he was carrying a weapon (ref. b). In his latest interaction, Whalen described himself to FLOs as the "Senior Venue Broadcast Manager." The JOC has confirmed with the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Company (BOB) that Whalen is affiliated with BOB and that he is a legitimate holder of Olympic credentials for the judo venue; the Olympic Security Coordinator (OSC) also informed BOB of the U.S. concern about Whalen's comportment, his misrepresentations regarding his duties, and the fact that he claims to be armed. At the suggestion of the OSC, BOB representatives have spoken with Whalen and confirmed that he has no weapon in country; they have also advised him to conduct himself in a professional manner appropriate to his position. ¶11. (SBU) Assaults in Hong Kong: The RSO in Hong Kong confirmed on 08/14/2008, Hong Kong police arrested a mentally unstable man who they suspect used a paper cutter to slash the arms of three pedestrians in the Kowloon area of the city. Local media indicated all victims received hospital treatment for their injuries, which were reportedly not serious. According to the RSO, at least one of the attacks occurred less than two blocks from the Sheraton Hotel, where the U.S. Olympics Equestrian team is housed; however, no U.S. citizens were injured in the incidents. Police advised the RSO that they have increased the number of undercover personnel in the area of the attacks and that they will alert the U.S. Consulate General if any further incidents occur. ¶12. (SBU) Reported Arrests of Uighur "Terrorists:" According to the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao, Fujian police recently arrested two suspected Uighur terrorists while searching for a "Xinjiang radical organization" that had entered the province to "carry out disruptions." Chinese authorities believe the group was originally comprised of 20 BEIJING 00003117 004 OF 007 people, 18 of whom "escaped without a trace." The newspaper noted that the event was not publicized by officials due to security "sensitivity" during the Olympics. ¶13. (SBU) Olympic Protests: The Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) confirmed to the U.S. Embassy's American Citizen Services (ACS) unit the deportation of the seven American pro-Tibetan protesters detained near the Olympic Green on 08/13/2008 (ref. b). There are currently no Americans being detained for Olympic-related protests; in total, 18 Americans have been detained and deported for demonstration activity since 08/06/2008. SECURITY OPERATIONS -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Increased Security for U.S. Athletic Stars: The USOC has requested additional assistance from the OSC and the FLOs assigned to the U.S. Men's Swimming team in coordinating crowd control coverage to ensure the safety of Michael Phelps during movements to and from venue sites and transportation areas. Phelps has attracted large crowds of fans--including police who have departed their posts in an attempt to obtain an autograph--as he travels between venues and the team buses. Overzealous fans are also mobbing other notable U.S. Olympic personalities, such as NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant and U.S. Women's Softball pitcher Jennie Finch. While the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on USG Olympic support limits FLOs to liaison roles and prohibits them from engaging in physical protection activities, the OSC has spoken with Ministry of Public Security (MPS) officials regarding crowd control concerns for Phelps, Finch and the NBA--including the police and BOCOG volunteers' desertion of their posts--and has asked that MPS instruct BOCOG to keep fans at least 6 to 10 feet away from the athletes. MPS understood the concern and will advise BOCOG personnel of the situation. In addition, the OSC will request that Chinese officials allow FLOs assigned to teams no longer in competition to assist in the coordination of security for the U.S. Men's Swimming team; however, given the terms of the MOU and venue-specific accreditation, Chinese approval of the request is unlikely. ¶15. (SBU) Hong Kong Olympics Update: According to the RSO in Hong Kong, a member of the U.S. Olympics Equestrian Team was admitted to the Prince of Wales hospital due to an infection; the case is non-life threatening and the individual is expected to be released within the next two days. In addition, the RSO reported that two members of the German Equestrian team tried to climb the fence at the Olympic Village at Sha Tin but were stopped by police and security guards. The Germans had reportedly been celebrating the German gold medal victory in the equestrian events and were possibly inebriated. BEIJING 00003117 005 OF 007 ¶16. (S) Increased Security after Stabbing: According to Xinhua, China's official state media agency, police on 08/13/2008 instituted security checks at the gates of Beijing,s parks to keep out knives and other dangerous items in the wake of the 08/09/2008 stabbing of two American tourists. Police have begun using hand-held security instruments to check visitors; those who refuse to be checked or who insist on carrying potentially dangerous items will be barred from entering the parks. The city,s parks also have established their own security teams, which conduct 24-hour patrols at scenic spots, tourist routes, and crowded sites. Separately, tearline reporting indicates that as of 08/12/2008, "Olympics security forces in Beijing, concerned about the threat posed by terrorism during the Olympic Games, implemented several anti-terrorism measures. Security forces increased their level of vigilance during anti-terrorism patrols, as well as their readiness to respond to a terrorist attack." There is no further information available to define the specific anti-terrorism measures enacted by Chinese officials. ¶17. (U) Helicopters Patrol Beijing: According to a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) press report, an aviation unit identified as conducting mainly "transport tasks" was assigned "new-type gunship helicopters" and is the first fully armed unit approved to patrol the air space over Beijing. The unit received the new helicopters and training to ensure the security of the Olympic Games from the air and to provide a quick reaction in case of an air emergency. These "air sentinels" are reportedly comprised of at least four crews and two helicopters. ¶18. (U) Increased Patrols in Xinjiang: According to an official Chinese press report, police in Xinjiang,s capital city of Urumqi on 08/10/2008 instituted 24-hour patrols through four of the city,s major urban districts to supplement security during the Olympic Games. The patrols are undertaken by police, joint defense unit personnel, public service personnel, and volunteers. Xinjiang has been the location for a series of recent fatal attacks against Chinese security forces; Chinese officials have repeatedly stated their concerns that Uighur extremist groups intend to disrupt the Olympics. VIPS -------------- ¶19. (U) Visit of Former Atlanta Mayor: Chinese media reports Andrew Young--former Mayor of Atlanta and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations--is currently in Beijing attending the Olympic Games. Mr. Young was the co-chair of the U.S. Olympics Committee for the 1996 Summer Games held in BEIJING 00003117 006 OF 007 Atlanta. PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY -------------- ¶20. (U) There were no significant incidents or events to report. CONSULAR AFFAIRS -------------- ¶21. (SBU) You Looking at Me?: Two U.S. citizens were involved in separate altercations with Beijing taxi drivers on 08/13/2008. In the first incident, a taxi driver refused to take the American to his desired destination and the American responded by removing the taxi driver,s official license from the front of the cab. Both parties were taken to the police station and released after three hours with no fines or penalties. In the second incident, an American was arrested after he engaged in a physical dispute with a taxi driver for unknown reasons outside a bar in the Sanlitun area of Beijing; ACS passed a list of English-speaking attorneys to the individual and an ACS officer will visit him on 08/15/2008. ¶22. (SBU) Repatriation of Remains of Ann De Waters: Following inquiries on the status of the repatriation of the remains of a U. S. citizen who died after a fall on 08/04/2008 (ref. b),ACS reports that the body of Ann De Waters arrived in Chicago on 08/13/2008. POLITICAL AFFAIRS -------------- ¶23. (U) MFA Press Conference: At a regularly scheduled press briefing on 08/13/2008, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesman Qin Gang said China expressed its condolences to the families of U.S. citizens attacked at the Beijing Drum Tower and is currently carrying out an investigation of the incident. Regarding press freedom, local officials are trying to make the environment better for journalists to report, but journalists still need to "respect Chinese laws and law enforcement authorities." Asked about recent violent incidents in Xinjiang, Qin said there is some evidence that there "might be" a connection between the attacks and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). Relevant Chinese agencies are investigating these links and details will be released at a later time. (Please see Beijing 3109, dated August 13, for more details). ¶24. (C) Protest Zones: Human Rights Watch reported on 08/13/2008 at least three instances of Chinese citizens who were either detained or removed from Beijing after applying BEIJING 00003117 007 OF 007 to demonstrate in designated protest zones during the Olympics. A local Beijing resident and former official whose application to protest during the Olympics was rejected twice told a U.S. Embassy Political Officer on 08/14/2008 that she and her partner had been detained after protesting the rejection of their application at Tiananmen Square on 08/11/2008. She said that her partner is still being held and that she is "very concerned" about his safety. During the 08/13/2008 press briefing, MFA Spokesman Qin avoided questions about the detentions, saying only that in order to demonstrate legally, people must first "gain approval from the relevant authorities." ¶25. (U) Press Freedom: International media reported that a British journalist was detained an "man-handled" by Chinese police while coverin the 08/13/2008 pro-Tibetan protest that led o the detention and deportation of seven Americans. John Ray, a correspondent for UK's ITN, said he was dragged into a nearby restaurant and "roughed up" by police officers after watching activists hang a "Free Tibet" banner in Chinese Ethnic Culture Park. The British Embassy reported that Ray was taken from the protest scene in a police van before being released. RANDT