CTAG MEMBERS DISCUSS REGIONAL CT CHALLENGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000983

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR PGOV AG ML MR NG
SUBJECT: CTAG MEMBERS DISCUSS REGIONAL CT CHALLENGES

ALGIERS 00000983 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: David D. Pearce, Ambassador. Reasons: E.O. 12958 1.4(b)
, (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Participants at the Italian-hosted Counterterrorism
Action Group (CTAG) meeting of G-8 Embassies in Algiers on
October 25 discussed the current status of regional CT
cooperation, ongoing Algerian and bilateral CT efforts, and
the activities of the African Union Center for the Study and
Research of Terrorism (CAERT). Participants believed that
the Algerian government is willing and able to address
growing terrorism and drug trafficking in the Sahel but noted
that regional cooperation, including cross-border operations,
has yet to be established. Participants hoped the upcoming
Bamako summit would remedy that situation, although they
thought the capabilities of the Mali government are lacking.
The Algerian government prefers bilateral CT cooperation with
individual G-8 countries rather than a coordinated approach.
In recent months, the GOA has mounted a campaign to
strengthen the international regime against ransom payments.
But its public discourse focuses heavily on counterterrorism
operations and President Bouteflika's program of national
reconciliation, less on politically sensitive issues like
extremist propaganda, radicalization and recruitment.
Despite the GOA's pride in the African Study and Research
Center for Terrorism (CAERT) as an Algerian-hosted AU
organization, participants felt the center has been
ineffective. End summary.

Regional Cooperation Limited in Run-up to Bamako
-------------- ---


2. (C) The Italian Embassy, representing the G-8 2009
presidency, hosted a meeting of the G-8 Counterterrorism
Action Group (CTAG) ambassadors on October 25. The embassies
of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Russian
Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom,
and the United States were represented at the ambassador or
DCM level. The European Commission and the Office of the UN
Resident Coordinator also sent representatives. France was
not represented. Participants noted that the Algerian
government appears acutely conscious of the precarious
security situation in the Sahel and would like to play a
stabilizing role in the region both militarily and
diplomatically -- particularly with regard to tensions
between Tuareg minorities and the governments of Mali and
Niger. The August 12 meeting of the chiefs of staff of
Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger in Tamanrasset,
organized at Algeria's initiative, was a positive step toward
regional cooperation. However, the GOA so far has refrained
from cross-border antiterrorist operations. Algerian
officials tell CTAG members that this reluctance is due to
respect for other countries' sovereignty and territorial
integrity and concern that Morocco might use any Algerian
cross-border actions as a pretext for themselves infringing
on the integrity of Algeria's borders. The planned Bamako
summit could provide the GOA the political cover it wants for
cross-border action. (Note: GOA officials have said
repeatedly that they expect the summit will take place before
the end of the year. End note)


3. (SBU) CTAG members said that their meetings with Algerian
officials indicate that Algeria wants the summit to go well
and would prefer that non-regional governments and
organizations not play a role in the planning phase.
Participants agreed that, while we want to encourage movement
on a more regional approach to CT cooperation, it also was
important to keep in mind GOA sensitivities regarding
regional ownership of the process.


4. (SBU) Members noted that terrorist activities and illicit
trafficking in the Sahel have steadily increased over the
last few years. The weakness of some Sahel and West African
governments and the recent spread of cocaine trafficking from
Latin America throughout the region add to such concerns.
There was general agreement that the Malian government's
ambiguous attitude and ineffective action to address the
security situation within its borders were further reasons to
worry. Meeting participants noted that bilateral CT
initiatives must also address illicit trafficking of all
types, since terrorism and trafficking are broadly
interconnected throughout the region.

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Public Discourse Centers on CT Operations
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5. (SBU) Participants agreed that Algeria has developed
strong capacity in counterterrorism operations, mainly as a
result of its experience in the 1990s. The GOA has ratified
11 out of 13 international conventions on terrorism and
appears to have complied with the main provisions of UNSC
resolutions against terrorist financing. Its public
discourse on CT issues centers on "hard" security measures,
including prevention. It also spotlights the process of
national reconciliation initiated by President Bouteflika
more than the politically sensitive issues of extremist
Islamist propaganda, incitement, radicalization, and
recruitment. The GOA generally keeps public communication on
CT issues low-key, except for official announcements on
successful antiterrorist operations.


6. (SBU) In recent months, the Algerian authorities have also
campaigned publicly for strengthening the international legal
regime against payment of ransoms for terrorist kidnappings.
Authorities up to and including President Bouteflika himself
have raised the subject with international audiences on
several occasions, arguing that such payments undermine
efforts to limit terrorist financing. Algerian officials
have expressed interest in urging the AU or the UN to create
an international legally binding instrument to outlaw such
payments but may be willing to accept a non-binding
declaration instead.

GOA Prefers Bilateral Work with G8 Partners
--------------


7. (SBU) Participants commented on Algeria's desire to
maintain an almost exclusively bilateral approach to
international CT cooperation with Western partners. There
currently are no multilateral CT coordination mechanisms with
G-8 countries, and the GOA seems disinclined to pursue any.
Members nevertheless agreed there was value in continuing
informal exchanges of views and information among CTAG
participants. A few suggested considering the possible
inclusion of Algerian officials in future discussions.
Members also shared the views that Algerian officials prefer
that proposals for bilateral initiatives be strictly
formalized and structured, in some cases at the expense of
flexibility and speed of action; that GOA authorities are
very selective about information they exchange with bilateral
partners; and that officials resist attempts by bilateral
partners to involve members of civil society in CT
activities. The GOA prefers bilateral cooperation on
security per se, not on broader social initiatives.

CAERT: Not Much There There
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8. (SBU) CTAG members expressed disappointment with the AU's
African Study and Research Center for Terrorism (CAERT)
located in Algiers. CTAG members had not been impressed with
CAERT's activities and voiced skepticism about its future
role, noting that it seems to focus almost exclusively on
organizing seminars and lacks a coherent action-oriented
framework or long-term training plan. The head of the
European Commission mission in Algiers noted that the center
suffers from poor management, limited budget transparency,
lack of adequate technical skills, and weak analytic
performance. CTAG members also noted that the absence of
Morocco from CAERT activities, a side of effect of the
organization's AU affiliation, which limited CAERT's
effectiveness as a regional CT center. Participants
nevertheless acknowledged CAERT's political significance to
the Algerian government as an Algerian-hosted AU entity and
as part of an international network of regional CT centers.
CTAG members, therefore, were generally inclined to
continuing cooperation with the organization and its
activities. Members noted that the mandate of CAERT Director
Boubacar Diarra will expire soon and hoped that his
replacement will bring positive changes.


9. (U) Tripoli minimize considered.
PEARCE