EGYPTIAN COUNTER SMUGGLING EFFORTS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000448

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2019
TAGS: PREL MASS PARM KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN COUNTER SMUGGLING EFFORTS

REF: A. CAIRO 161

B. CAIRO 290

C. CAIRO 160

Classified By: Ambassador Margaret Scobey per 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. Key Points

-- (S) Egypt continues to improve efforts to combat arms
smuggling into Gaza, but a decision by Field Marshal Tantawi
to delay a counter tunneling project threatens progress.

-- (S) During a March 10 meeting, Tantawi informed the
Ambassador that the GOE is unwilling to allow the satellite
connection necessary to calibrate the FMF-provided sensors
currently being installed along the Rafah border to detect
tunneling activity. Tantawi claimed potential criticism from
the opposition of U.S. control over the Egyptian border
fueled his decision.

-- (S) The Ambassador urged Tantawi to reconsider and also
pressed Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit to push for maintaining
the satellite link to avoid an unnecessary four-five month
delay to develop alternative technological solutions.

-- (S) Tantawi has also objected to enabling the GPS
technology needed to accurately pinpoint tunneling activity.

-- (S) Despite Post's efforts, MOD informed OMC Chief on
March 15 that Tantawi's decision was final and asked to amend
the FMF case to move forward without the satellite link or
GPS technology.

-- (S) A technical team of U.S. experts visited Egypt March
8-12 to assess EGIS's request for X-ray screening systems to
inspect vehicles entering the Sinai for weapons and
explosives. The team visited seven of the eight requested
sites and EGIS appears committed to installing permanent
screening systems at the soonest possible time.

-- (S) EGIS declined the loan of mobile screening systems,
believing that permanent systems were a better technical
option and said they would increase manual inspections until
a permanent system could be installed. The team agreed that
temporary mobile systems were not the optimum technical
solution and could delay implementation of the permanent
systems.

-- (S) Post encourages the Department to provide timely
funding for the procurement of as many fixed screening
systems as possible. Deploying a limited number of screening
systems will only shift smuggling routes to Sinai crossings
without the systems.

-- (S) Other operational action to combat smuggling includes
an MOD project to construct a subterranean steel wall along
the Egypt-Gaza border, an increased civilian police presence
in northern Sinai, and increased vehicle inspections at
security checkpoints entering the Sinai.


2. (S) Comment: EGIS appears committed to increasing counter
smuggling operations, especially through additional security
procedures - like the screening systems - to stop weapons and
explosives before they enter the Sinai. This amplified focus
on combating smuggling further afield than the border is
critical to stemming the flow of weapons. MOD's
intransigence however, threatens real progress. Tantawi's
protestations of concern over the opposition's criticism are
unlikely the true source of his decision. While the GOE
remains deeply concerned over domestic and regional criticism
that they are "supporting" the Israeli siege on Gaza by
refusing to open the Rafah border to normal traffic, Tantawi
had not demonstrated similar concerns over the opposition
since the program began. EGIS Chief Omar Soliman will be
visiting Washington this week and we recommend raising the
counter tunneling project delay with him. Ultimately,
however, Tantawi is unlikely to be moved by anyone other than
President Mubarak.

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BTADS Delay
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3. (S) In February, MOD informed OMC Chief that Field Marshal
Tantawi wanted to sever the satellite link and discontinue
the use of GPS for the FMF-provided seismic acoustic sensors
being installed along the Rafah border. (Note: MOD originally
agreed to the use of the satellite to calibrate the system
during installation, on the condition that it was severed
after installation. They understood that the sensors use GPS

CAIRO 00000448 002 OF 002


technology. End Note).


4. (S) Prior to Tantawi's decision, the counter tunneling
project was going well. On January 15, MOD had agreed to
accelerate the project's implementation (ref A). A 24-man
Tunnel Detection Unit (TDU) of MOD engineers is already
working alongside the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to install
the equipment. They also discovered and - for the first time
- destroyed a main tunnel (ref B) found during installation.
Tantawi had also taken other steps to deter smuggling,
including approving a project to construct a subterranean
steel wall along the Rafah border.

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Screening Systems
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5. (S) In January, EGIS requested U.S. assistance to provide
X-ray screening systems to monitor vehicular traffic into the
Sinai for weapons and explosives (ref C). A technical team
of State/DHS experts visited Egypt March 8 - 12 to assess
Egypt's request (septel). The team visited seven of the
eight sites EGIS requested and agreed that fixed x-ray
screening systems would be an appropriate tool for combating
smuggling. The team discussed the possibility of the US
providing a temporary loan of mobile screening vans, until
permanent systems could be deployed. EGIS officials believed
that mobile vans were not the appropriate technical solution
and were comfortable with increasing manual inspections -
which they claimed were already being done - and waiting
until fixed systems could be deployed. The team agreed that
temporary mobile vans were not optimum and may delay the
deployment of permanent systems.
SCOBEY