BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 BEIJING 003171

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: 08/19/2038
TAGS: ASEC CASC CH CMGT ECON KOLY OVIP PREL PTER
SUBJECT: BEIJING 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS: USG SITUATION REPORT
19, 08/19/2008

REF: A. BEIJING 3147

B. BEIJING 3139

C. BEIJING 3117

D. BEIJING 3146

E. BEIJING 3158

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 08/19/2008.


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 USG Delegation to the Olympics Closing
Ceremony is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on 08/21/2008.
Advance team members for the delegation are already in the
city, working with U.S. Embassy personnel and Chinese
officials to ensure a successful visit for the closing of the
Games.


SECURITY ISSUES
--------------

4. (S/REL to USA, IESC) Threats: According to tearline
information, "Thirty-three suspected terrorists may attempt
to cross the border between Pakistan and China with the
intention of sabotaging the Beijing Olympics. The suspected
terrorists are of Chinese and Pakistani descent and are
allegedly being sent by various unnamed terrorist
organizations." For additional information, please refer to
the Threat Integration Center (TIC) 1700 Olympic Situation
Report dated 08/18/2008, which is available via the National
Counterterrorism Center's NCTC Online site.


5. (SBU) Incidents: Continued Concerns about Access to
U.S. Basketball Team: The USG Field Liaison Officers (FLO)
assigned to the U.S. Men's Basketball team notified the JOC
on 08/18/2008 that individuals without credentials, as well
as off-duty and improperly credentialed personnel, had again
been allowed to enter the team's locker room and the team bus
area; this is the second reported occurrence of unauthorized

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access to the team's secure areas (ref. a). When notified of
the situation, Chinese police advised that they have no
authority to keep people from the area--despite the fact that
it is secure--but pledged to add extra security personnel to
maintain order. The FLOs have noted that police and Beijing
Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) volunteers
also appear unable to manage attempts by credentialed
individuals to seek autographs and access to the players; it
is likely that the situation will become worse as the final
games approach. The Olympic Security Coordinator (OSC) on
08/19/2008 sent a formal note of complaint to the Chinese
Ministry of Public Security (MPS) about the ongoing crowd
control and access issues and again requested that
individuals without proper credentials be denied entry to
secure areas. The MPS had previously responded favorably to
requests for the assignment of additional personnel to keep
fans at least 6 feet from high profile athletes (ref. b).


6. (SBU) Incident at USA House: On 08/18/2008, the U.S.
Olympic Committee (USOC) security office reported to the JOC
that an individual identified as Richard Cohen was banned
from the USA House on 08/18/2008 for posing as an Olympian
and then as an Olympic coach. Cohen had raised the suspicion
of security personnel because he had a guest day pass issued
by Bank of America in the name of Paul Fleischler but had
identified himself as Richard Cohen. The USG Field Liaison
Officer (FLO) assigned to coordinate with U.S. Olympic
corporate sponsors has contacted Bank of America to obtain
information on Cohen/Fleischler and the JOC will run
appropriate checks once his data is received.


7. (U) Olympic Protests: No protest activity was reported
overnight on 08/18/2008.


8. (U) Chinese Authorities Have Approved Zero of 77 Protest
Applications: Xinhua reports that since 08/01/2008, Beijing
authorities have received 77 applications involving 149
people--including three foreigners--seeking to hold
demonstrations in the city's three designated "protest
zones." According to an unnamed spokesperson for the Beijing
Public Security Bureau (PSB),most of the applicants sought
permission to publicly protest issues related to labor,
health, and welfare disputes. The spokesperson pointed out
that 74 of the 77 applications were withdrawn after the
applicants' grievances were "properly addressed by relevant
authorities or departments through consultations." Two
applications were "suspended" on account of "incomplete
procedures," the spokesman added, while one application was
rejected by the PSB for an undisclosed violation of Chinese
law on demonstrations and protests. BOCOG spokesman Sun
Weide had no comment on why approval had not been granted to
any protest applications. Chinese regulations require
individuals to file protest applications five days in

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advance, meaning that 08/19/2008 is the last day to apply for
permission to hold a protest before the Closing Ceremony on
08/24/2008.


9. (U) IOC on Protest Application Issue: Press agency AFP
has reported that the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
conceded that the Olympic "protest zones" are not functioning
properly. "To date, what had been announced publicly
doesn,t appear, in reality, to be happening, and a number of
questions are being asked," said IOC spokesperson Giselle
Davies. "The IOC is keen to see those questions answered by
the relevant authorities."


10. (SBU) Woman Surrenders Pro-Tibet Pamphlets: On
08/18/2008, the Regional Security Officer (RSO) in Hong Kong
learned that a Japanese woman was stopped by security
screeners at the Sha Tin Olympic venue after she was found to
be wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying pamphlets on
Tibetan independence. According to information passed to the
RSO, the woman was permitted to attend the events after
surrendering the items, which were returned to her
afterwards.


SECURITY OPERATIONS
--------------

11. (SBU) Additional FLO Coverage at Beach Volleyball
Venue: On 08/18/2008, the FLO assigned to the Beach
Volleyball venue requested additional security support for
the men's semi-final competition on 08/19/2008 in light of
the scheduled attendance of members of the U.S. Men's
Basketball team. The FLO formerly assigned to the U.S. Men's
Soccer team--who possesses an "infinity" credential allowing
him access to all Olympic venues--will provide liaison
assistance for crowd control; OSC contacted Chinese officials
to notify them of the high-profile attendees and to request
the arrangement of appropriate security measures. The U.S.
Men's Basketball team routinely attracts large crowds of fans
during their venue appearances and the OSC has previously
requested additional crowd coverage by police and BOCOG
volunteers during NBA team movements (ref. c).


12. (SBU) Olympic Athletes Injured/Ill: The FLO assigned
to the Olympics Cycling venue reported that a U.S. Track
Cyclist was taken to Sino Japanese Friendship Hospital on
08/18/2008 to receive treatment for injuries sustained during
her competition. She was released from the hospital later
the same evening and USOC physicians will take over her
medical treatment. Separately, a U.S. Baseball player
suffered a minor concussion and had to leave the game on
08/18/2008 after being struck by a ball; USOC has reported
that the athlete was taken to the hospital and his condition
will be monitored. According to press reporting, several

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members of the U.S. Track and Field team became ill at the
team's pre-Olympic training center in Dalian, with food
poisoning as the likely cause. According to the USOC chef
responsible for providing meals to the athletes, at least 15
per cent of the 150 athletes who trained in Dalian
experienced some degree of illness, though he stated that the
cause could not be determined. The USOC medical director
characterized the illnesses as "normal stomach bugs," and
commented that the condition was not considered widespread or
out of the ordinary for an international trip.


13. (S/NF) SWAT Teams Augment Security: Members of the
U.S. Defense Attache Office (DAO) in Beijing from 08/15/2008
to 08/18/2008 observed four armed Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) officers posted at both the west and northwest
entrances of the Olympic Village. On the west side of the
Village, DAO also observed one SWAT officer standing guard on
the athlete side of both outer chain-link fences that
surround the Olympic Green. Four unarmed SWAT officers were
also seen on the north side of the Olympic Green. DAO
commented that the SWAT officers are an augmentation of the
normal security seen on past visits. (Please see IIR 6 814
1815 08, dated August 18, for additional details.)
Separately, a JOC representative noted "total containment
vessels" (TCV) located within four Beijing subway stations;
the TCV--which are used primarily for bomb disposal
purposes--were attended by uniformed officers.


14. (U) Quick-Response Bomb Teams in Hong Kong: According
to an 08/18/2008 Hong Kong Tai Yang Pao online report, in
response to "panic" caused by a wave of recent bomb hoaxes,
the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Commissioner has
established "quick-response" teams for handling bomb cases.
The teams, which are composed of "frontline" policemen, are
responsible for determining if a suspected bomb is real and
for disposing of fake bombs. In future incidents involving
potential bomb scares, bomb disposal experts will only be
called to the scene if the device is determined to be
authentic. The RSO in Hong Kong has reported four bomb
hoaxes on the island since 08/08/2008 (ref. d); Hong Kong
media noted that another three incidents took place on
08/15/2008, bringing the total number of bomb threats to
seven.


15. (SBU) Airport Restrictions for Closing Ceremony?: The
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representative to the
JOC has reported Chinese authorities have not yet commented
on the potential closure of the Beijing Capital International
Airport (BCIA) or additional Beijing airspace restrictions
during the Olympics Closing Ceremony on 08/24/2008. BCIA was
closed for a period of five hours during the Opening Ceremony
on 08/08/2008.


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16. (SBU) British Police to Visit JOC: The OSC anticipates
that a UK delegation of Metropolitan Police associated with
the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will visit the U.S.
Embassy on 08/22/2008 in order to get an overview of JOC
operations. A similar meet and greet with Canadian Olympics
officials and U.S. corporate Olympic sponsors was
well-received on 08/15/2008 (ref. d).


VIPS
--------------

17. (SBU) Arrival of Vancouver OSC: Diplomatic Security's
Olympic Security Coordinator for the Vancouver 2010 Winter
Olympics will arrive in Beijing on 08/20/2008 to get a
first-hand look at Olympic JOC operations prior to the Winter
Games.


PUBLIC AFFAIRS/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
--------------

18. (U) Please refer to paragraph 19 for updated PAS
activities.


CONSULAR AFFAIRS
--------------

19. (SBU) Americans Depart Airport Without Bibles: The four
U.S. citizen members of the Christian group Vision Beyond
Borders--who attempted to bring more than 300 bibles into
China on 08/17/2008 (ref. e)--left the Kunming airport
without the books after a 26-hour standoff. The Americans
were reportedly unaware of Chinese regulations that limit the
importation of religious materials for personal use only.
Media coverage of the story was widespread; a Google search
the morning of 08/19/2008 returned more than 450 results from
news organizations around the world. The Public Affairs
Section (PAS) produced press guidance shortly after American
Citizens Services (ACS) received notification of the incident.


POLITICAL AFFAIRS
--------------

20. (U) Dalai Lama to Meet with French Foreign Minister: The
Dalai Lama's 12-day visit to France continued 08/18/2008 as
he met the mayor of Nantes. One day after AFP reported that
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner would be unable to
meet the Dalai Lama as originally planned on 08/20/2008, LCI
Television of Paris reported that FM Kouchner will meet the
Dalai Lama on 08/22/2008 with first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
at the inauguration of a Buddhist temple. In a television
interview over the weekend with TF1 Television in France, the
Dalai Lama spoke out against Chinese repression in Tibet.
"Unfortunately, the Olympic spirit is not respected by all

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Chinese officials inside Tibet," he said. "And often
civilians are arrested and tortured very violently, to the
point where they die. It's very, very sad."


21. (U) Grounding of Uighur Pilots: According to The Times
and other international media sources, three ethnic Uighur
pilots in China's civil aviation sector were removed from
flight status in March and will not be permitted to fly until
after the Olympics at the earliest. In addition, Uighur
flight attendants have been transferred to flights outside
the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.


22. (U) Don,t Ask, Don,t Tell: According to an
independent Hong Kong press report, many ticket scalpers in
Beijing believe that, despite recent arrests, a tacit deal
has been struck between police and ticket brokers that as
long as no money changes hands in front of police, no action
will be taken. Scalpers allege that police have loosened
their checks on ticket dealing because some stadiums have
been nearly half empty for events, even though all tickets
were officially sold out long before the Olympic Games began.
One scalper interviewed had even rented an apartment near
the National Stadium to conduct business out of sight of the
authorities.


23. (U) Buses Equipped with Wireless Video: More than
1,400 buses in Beijing will be equipped "before next year"
with a wireless video monitoring system that can interact in
real time with the bus group,s dispatch center and the
Municipal Public Security Bureau in cases of emergency,
according to press reporting. Twenty-five Olympic bus
transit stops reportedly already employ such equipment.
RANDT