UZBEKISTAN: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS TASHKENT 001502 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SBU DELIBERATIVE PROCESS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, S/CT FOR R. SHORE, NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM REF: a) STATE 120019 ¶1. The Government of Uzbekistan did not provide safe haven for terrorists or terrorist organizations and continued to work aggressively to combat terrorist groups and other suspected Islamic radicals. Nevertheless, widespread poverty and the government's repressive security policies created conditions that religious extremists could exploit. The government worked with international organizations and other countries to strengthen border controls in order to combat the transit of goods and people of concern across Uzbekistan's borders. The Government of Uzbekistan also said that it had conducted counter-terrorism operations, and government-sponsored fora and media warned of the dangers of terrorism and extremism. ¶2. Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU),the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU),the IMU-affiliated East Turkistan Islamic Party, and other al-Qa'ida (AQ)-affiliated groups were active in the region, and terrorist groups in the region continued to target both the Government of Uzbekistan and western interests. Members of these groups expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and some have attacked U.S. interests in the past, including a 2004 suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent conducted by the IJU. ¶3. The Government of Uzbekistan continued to pursue modest steps in resuming counterterrorism cooperation with the United States. In July, Uzbekistan joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and participated in GICNT activities. Uzbekistan discussed counterterrorism issues with high-ranking U.S. government visitors. Uzbekistan also agreed to extend overflight rights for commercial aircraft contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense, and permitted overflights of such aircraft during the year. ¶4. In April, Uzbekistan joined the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. The government also participated in counterterrorism-themed UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) activities. Uzbekistan hosts the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS). The SCO said it strengthened counterterrorism cooperation among member states and vowed to strengthen the role of RATS. Uzbekistan is a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO),which said it was devoting more attention to counterterrorism efforts. Nonetheless, the Government of Uzbekistan has not participated fully in SCO or CSTO exercises. ¶5. Embassy Point of Contact is Political Officer Steven Prohaska. Email: @state.gov> prohaskasn@state.gov. Phone: 998-71-120-5450. NORLAND To view the entire SMART message, go to URL http://repository.state.sgov.gov/_layouts/OSS SearchResults.aspx?k=messageid:8488fc26-b4bd- 4221-8030-3e5bec3db9e3