Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA897
2008-12-22 15:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
ALBANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM
how-toVZCZCXYZ0019 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHTI #0897 3571541 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 221541Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7705 RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS TIRANA 000897
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/CT (RSHORE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM
REF: STATE 120019
UNCLAS TIRANA 000897
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/CT (RSHORE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM
REF: STATE 120019
1. (SBU) In 2008 Albania pledged to increase its contribution of
troops to Afghanistan, maintained frozen bank accounts related to
money laundering and terrorism financing, and aggressively worked
with the United States and other countries to combat terrorism.
Albania made progress in identifying vulnerabilities at land and sea
borders, but the government and police forces continued to face
substantial challenges to enforce fully border security and combat
organized crime and corruption.
2. (SBU) On January 14th, 2008, the criminal trial began against
Hamzeh Abu Rayyan, the administrator for UNSCR 1267
Committee-designated terrorist financier Yassin Al-Kadi. Al-Kadi is
charged with hiding funds used to finance terror. The trial was
still ongoing as of December 2008. This marked the first ever
criminal terror finance-related case in Albania. A civil suit filed
by al-Kadi to release his assets from seizure was originally
dismissed for technical reasons but was refiled in July. The
lawsuit was again dismissed by the court in September. Al-Kadi's
company "Loxhall" also filed a lawsuit in April, aimed at annulling
the Council of Ministers' decision and the two orders of the
Ministry of Finance related to administration of seized terrorism
assets.
3. (SBU) Although no new groups' assets were frozen this year under
Albania's Terrorism Financing Freeze (TFF) law enacted in 2004, as
of October, the Ministry of Finance claimed that it maintained asset
freezes against six individuals and fourteen foundations and
companies on the UNSCR 1267 list. Despite this progress, the
effectiveness of the government's counterterrorist financing effort
was undermined by a lack of data-processing infrastructure and an
inadequate capability to track and manage cases properly.
4. (U) Embassy Tirana POC is Michael Gray, graymw3@state.gov
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/CT (RSHORE)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM
REF: STATE 120019
1. (SBU) In 2008 Albania pledged to increase its contribution of
troops to Afghanistan, maintained frozen bank accounts related to
money laundering and terrorism financing, and aggressively worked
with the United States and other countries to combat terrorism.
Albania made progress in identifying vulnerabilities at land and sea
borders, but the government and police forces continued to face
substantial challenges to enforce fully border security and combat
organized crime and corruption.
2. (SBU) On January 14th, 2008, the criminal trial began against
Hamzeh Abu Rayyan, the administrator for UNSCR 1267
Committee-designated terrorist financier Yassin Al-Kadi. Al-Kadi is
charged with hiding funds used to finance terror. The trial was
still ongoing as of December 2008. This marked the first ever
criminal terror finance-related case in Albania. A civil suit filed
by al-Kadi to release his assets from seizure was originally
dismissed for technical reasons but was refiled in July. The
lawsuit was again dismissed by the court in September. Al-Kadi's
company "Loxhall" also filed a lawsuit in April, aimed at annulling
the Council of Ministers' decision and the two orders of the
Ministry of Finance related to administration of seized terrorism
assets.
3. (SBU) Although no new groups' assets were frozen this year under
Albania's Terrorism Financing Freeze (TFF) law enacted in 2004, as
of October, the Ministry of Finance claimed that it maintained asset
freezes against six individuals and fourteen foundations and
companies on the UNSCR 1267 list. Despite this progress, the
effectiveness of the government's counterterrorist financing effort
was undermined by a lack of data-processing infrastructure and an
inadequate capability to track and manage cases properly.
4. (U) Embassy Tirana POC is Michael Gray, graymw3@state.gov