BERLIN EAC MEETING ON 18 SEP 2009

S E C R E T BERLIN 001165 NOFORN DEPARTMENT FOR DS/CC, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/EUR; FRANKFURT AND MUNICH FOR RSO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2029 TAGS: ASEC PTER SUBJECT: BERLIN EAC MEETING ON 18 SEP 2009 REF: A. BERLIN 01057 ¶B. BERLIN SPOT REPORT DATED 3 SEPT 2009 ¶C. BERLIN 01120 ¶D. BERLIN 01142 Classified By: DCM DELAWIE FOR REASONS 1.4(B),(C),(D) ¶1. (S/NF) On 18 September the Mission Germany EAC met in Berlin to discuss the current threat situation. This discussion centered on the two different but related threat streams currently of concern (see refs),i.e. the threat of a terrorist attack on Germany timed to impact their elections and a specific threat to a church/synagogue in Berlin. Participating in the EAC were the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, RSO, GRPO Chief, FBI Legal Attach, MC for Political Affairs, MC for Management, Global Affairs Chief, Consular Section Chief, Public Affairs Information Officer, Acting Defense Attach, Commercial Attach, FAS Attach, MSG Detachment Commander, Military Liaison Office, Office of Defense Cooperation, etc. ¶2. (S/NF) RSO, LEGATT, and GRPO each briefed the EAC on the two threats. GRPO briefed on the pre-election threat indicating that no new information has been developed. However, he pointed out that a new Al Queda video was reported released today threatening Germany. There remains no specific information on planning or targets in the run-up to the election. GRPO further reported that the German government has decided to increase its security presence visibly as of noon today. While the individual German States will decide what measures they plan to take, it will mean more police on the streets than normal, particularly at airports, train stations, and public events as well as other monitoring measures throughout the country. There will be no public announcement of such by the Interior Ministry; but measures will be noticeable and likely commented upon. The local States would be encouraged to pay particular attention to US military and diplomatic missions, as well as Israeli missions and synagogues. ¶3. (S/NF) On the second specific threat in Berlin the RSO, LegAtt and GRPO met with the Berlin police on 17 September to discuss the current situation and the security measures being taken. RSO has been communicating on a daily basis with embassy counterparts (LEGATT, GRPO) as well as our contacts in the Berlin Police Department. Unfortunately, record checks and other traces on names associated with this case continue to yield negative results. A target of the investigation who resides in Berlin remains under constant surveillance, both monitoring his phone calls and movements. To date, no changes have been detected that would lead us to believe an attack is imminent. The police stated although they and the BKA (i.e. German Federal Police) haven't been able to glean much in terms of new or additional information over the past two weeks, they are still taking this threat seriously and have already increased their presence in and around the church/synagogue on Huettenweg in Berlin. Specifically they have placed cars and undercover police in the area and are reading license tags of all vehicles passing in the vicinity as well as taking photographs of passersby from covert locations. A 24/7 uniformed police presence is now in place near the church. Similar measures have been enacted in the vicinity of the primary target, which is a well known synagogue in the center of Berlin. The police enacted multiple layers of security earlier today in order to protect the church/synagogue. They stated the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, which normally arranges for additional security during the periods the synagogue is used for worship, will also take measures to increase their security profile. Earlier this week, RSO increased our security profile, both for local guards and SD coverage, at all facilities throughout Germany (see para 5). The Berlin Police have also equipped the police protecting the American, British, and Israeli embassies in Berlin with MP-5s and bullet resistant vests. ¶4. (S/NF) Later in the day on 18 September the Berlin Police contacted the RSO and said that they met with the local Mayor where the church is located and decided that early next week they were probably going to close roads around the church. They were also going to speak with the responsible city office that owns the church/synagogue and decided against using a ruse to close the church. The counter-measures they are proposing will be visible to the public. Furthermore the police stated that any enhanced measures would be in place until after the German Reunification Day (October 3rd). The EAC considered the German actions and assessed that they were effectively countering this specific threat. The EAC will continue to monitor and review the situation - another EAC will be held on Monday 21 September. ¶5. (SBU) Mission Countermeasures: Based on the pre-election threat Mission Germany enhanced guard coverage starting on 18 September. This included an increase in Surveillance Detection assets at most facilities as well as a more overt uniformed guard presence where possible. On 18 September the RSO extended this enhanced security status for an additional week, through German Reunification Day (October 3rd). The Ambassador requested that all Mission Germany posts review their security. The larger posts were directed to have their EACs meet and the smaller posts for the Principle Officer to meet with their security staff. In addition, mission facilities were asked to exercise their emergency drills, in particular duck and cover and evacuation to safehaven. ¶6. (SBU) The EAC approved sending a consular warden notice based on the pre-election threat, its content was approved by the EAC and subsequently by CA. Consular has distributed this message through its warden system. Post coordinated with EUCOM so that a similar message could be sent out to the U.S. military in Germany. Murphy