MEETING WITH INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES DIRECTOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000257

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAHMS/SINGH/HARDIN
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, INL/AAE
DEPT PASS TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SY IS LE
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES DIRECTOR
GENERAL RIFI

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) General Achraf Rifi, Director General of the Lebanese
Internal Security Forces (ISF),in his first meeting with
Charge Sison reiterated his and the ISF's appreciation for
the active U.S. support for his forces and the continued need
for additional training, equipment and infrastructure
improvements. Stressing the increase in ISF's
responsibilities in countering terrorism and investigating
politically inspired assassinations, he provided an overview
of the expanded role of the ISF since 2005. Rifi delineated
the areas where gaps or weaknesses continue to exist in terms
of internal security, and mentioned ISF's proposed growing
role in border security. Understanding that continued U.S.
assistance depends on proof that our training and equipment
has been utilized by the ISF, Rifi promised to prepare and
present a report to the Charge, detailing how our assistance
has aided the ISF in its increasingly demanding operations.
End Summary.


2. (U) In an introductory meeting with Charge Sison,
attended by RSO, INL, Legatt, and Colonel Wissam Hassan, head
of the ISF Information Unit, General Rifi began by thanking
the USG for its support of the ISF and of Lebanon, and added
immediately thereafter that the ISF will definitely be asking
for more assistance. Following her summary of the USG's
strong history of assistance for the security sector in
Lebanon, including the new INL Lebanon Police Program, the
FBI's training and donation of equipment for a new Lebanese
Evidence Response Team, and the RSO's ATA training, the
Charge reiterated the USG's support for the institutions of
Lebanon. She emphasized that the US is looking at new areas
where we could offer additional assistance to the ISF.


3. (C) Rifi laid out what he saw as the four main areas where
serious security gaps exist in Lebanon: the Palestinian
camps, Palestinian training camps, the security perimeter and
the land borders where weapons and ammunition enter without
control. Stressing the importance of improving security on
the land borders which present the biggest problem in his
estimation, Rifi noted that the ISF has been named as the
head of the new Border Commission, with the LAF bearing
responsibility for enforcement over the Northern border.


4. (C) The German sponsored Pilot Program for the Common
Border Project is jointly coordinated by ISF and LAF, said
Rifi, and its original start date of two and one half months
ago was delayed for two months due to the late arrival of
equipment and the Naher Al Bared fighting. Admitting that he
felt Germany had some initial reservations about the project,
he stated that it is up and running for the last two weeks,
and that a joint operations room has been set up with all
four security agencies working together for the first time in
the history of Lebanon. Optimistically opining that all
problems with the Pilot Program will be resolved and all
loopholes will be closed, Rifi foresees concrete results in
three months, at which time the Pilot Program can move beyond
the Northern border and begin to concentrate on the Eastern
border and into the Beqaa. He attributes past problems with
any border project to Syrian intelligence's interference and
the perception by the people who live along the border tht
their livelihoods would be destroyed if the boder is truly
enforced and secured. The focus wil be on interdiction of
weapons and drugs and the hindrance of movement of terrorist
elements, added Rifi.


5. (C) Reserving a special thanks to the FBI for its Evidence
Response Team training and equipment and its recent hosting
of a visit for the head of the ISF Black Panthers or SWAT
team, Rifi noted that USG assistance to the SWAT team had
been particularly beneficial to the ISF. Rifi expressed
concern about Hezbollah launching attacks from Lebanese
territory, and the explosive risk that exposes to Lebanon.
Stressing that the Lebanese state should be the strongest
party and control the strongest security force, Rifi cited
the broad support the ISF gets from the government of
Lebanon, including the Sunnis (Hariri),the Druze (Jumblatt)
and the Christians (Gemayel and Geagea).


6. (C) In order to be an effective force, Rifi says it needs


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