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