BEIRUT EAC MEETING ON JANUARY 16, 2008

S E C R E T BEIRUT 000063

SIPDIS

NOFORN

STATE FOR DS/CC, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/NEA, NEA/EX,
POSTS FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: ASEC LE
SUBJECT: BEIRUT EAC MEETING ON JANUARY 16, 2008

REF: BEIRUT 00060

Classified By: RSO Tom Depenbrock for reasons 1.4 (d)


1. (S/NF) On January 16, 2008, the Ambassador chaired a
meeting of the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) at 0900 hours
to discuss the January 15 explosion possibly targeting a US
Embassy armored suburban that caused minor injuries to the
two bodyguards in the vehicle and three civilian deaths. The
Ambassador, DCM, RSO, AID, POL, DAO, MGMT, PAO, CONS and
other key section reps attended. RSO discussed the tripwire
for possible of authorized departure that was crossed: a
significant terrorist attack targeting official government
property or personnel. RSO and LEGATT discussed an incoming
DS/FBI investigative team arriving later tonight to assist
the Lebanese government in its investigation into the
explosion. Several issues were decided: 1) that for today all
unofficial moves would be cancelled and that all official
moves would require Ambassador or DCM approval; 2) that MGMT
would convene two town hall meetings, one for the American
staff and one for the FSN staff; 3) that RSO would hold a
refresher training course for good security practices for all
FSN and American staff; 4) that for the next two weeks all
TDY visits would require Ambassador or DCM approval; 5) that
RSO would look into increasing its security presence in and
around the FSN parking lot adjacent to the Embassy compound;
6) that all section heads would speak with their American
staff regarding their opinions on authorized departure; 7)
that the EAC would reconvene on January 17, 2008.


2. (S/NF) The Embassy is open for business today with very
limited off compound movement for both FSN and American staff.
FELTMAN