KHARTOUM EAC CONVENED TO DISCUSS EMBASSY SANA'A ATTACK AND

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001420 BT SENSITIVE DEPT FOR M, DS, SPG, AF, AND S/ES-S/O USAID FOR AA/AF CAIRO FOR LEGAT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC AEMR PTER AMGT PGOV SU SUBJECT: KHARTOUM EAC CONVENED TO DISCUSS EMBASSY SANA'A ATTACK AND ATTENDANCE AT GRANVILLE/ABBAS TRIAL ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Khartoum's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) convened on September 18 to review the details of the September 17 terrorist attack on Embassy Sana'a, to evaluate any possible connections to Sudan, and to determine if our security posture can be increased to better defend against this type of an attack. The EAC also discussed the scheduled murder trial sessions on 9/21 and 9/22 for the five Sudanese men charged in the January 1 assassination of John Granville and Abdelrahman Abbas. The EAC recommended to the Charge' d'Affaires (CDA) that American employees not attend, and that the Embassy be represented by Foreign Service National (FSN) employee observers. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Embassy Khartoum's EAC convened on September 18, 2008 to discuss the September 17 terrorist attack on Embassy Sana'a and the Granville/Abbas murder trial sessions scheduled for September 21 and ¶22. The EAC was chaired by the DCM and included representatives from CONS, POEC, DLO, PAO, RAO, RSO, and USAID. The RSO presented information about the terrorist attack on Embassy Sana'a from DS reports and analysis. With the exception of one investigative lead passed to the RSO from Legat Cairo, there does not appear to be any connection between the attack and either Sudan or Sudanese nationals. Embassy name checks conducted for Legat Cairo were negative. ¶3. (SBU) The EAC discussed the Embassy's current security posture, recognized the inadequate and unsafe Chancery, explored ways to harden this facility, other embassy buildings and residences, and recommended improving the randomization of employee travel. The RSO briefed the EAC on the upcoming Integrated Mobile Training Team (I/MTT) visit tentatively scheduled for 0ctober 13 through November 26, and stressed the importance of mandatory participation by all Mission employees. The EAC discussed ways to improve procedural security to mitigate the risks of inadequate physical security and setback, and how motorpool operations can be improved to provide better randomization and unpredictability of employee commutes. ¶4. (SBU) The EAC meeting concluded with a discussion of the murder trial of the five Sudanese nationals charged with the January 1 killing of USAID officer John Granville and his driver, Abdelrahman Abbas. Given the high public profile and time/place predictability of the trial, the continued terrorist threat, and the absence of pedestrian identification and security screening at the courthouse, the EAC unanimously agreed to recommend to the CDA that Americans not attend. The CDA concurred with the EAC's recommendation and agreed that the Embassy should be represented by FSNs observers. The EAC will reconvene near the conclusion of the trial to determine the appropriate level of representation when the verdict is announced. FERNANDEZ