2008 Country Reports on Terrorism: Senegal

UNCLAS DAKAR 000035

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/CT, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND INR/AA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KDRM KHLS AEMR SG
SUBJECT: 2008 Country Reports on Terrorism: Senegal

REF: 08 STATE 120019


1. The following narrative is Posts submission for the 2008
Country Report on Terrorism (CRT):

Senegal

The Government of Senegal cooperated with the Untied States in
identifying terrorist groups operating in Senegal. More work
remained to be done, however, to develop first responder services,
to facilitate the quick sharing of information between agencies, and
to control porous borders where police and security services are
undermanned and ill-equipped to prevent illicit cross-border
trafficking. The Government of Senegal affirmed its commitment to
the United States government-assisted efforts to augment its border
security.

Senegal continues to enhance its ability to combat terrorism,
prosecute terror suspects, and respond to emergencies. Despite
advances, however, Senegal lacked specific counterterrorism
legislation and current laws made it difficult to prosecute terror
suspects. As participants in the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism
Partnership, more than 318 Senegalese government officials
participated in ATA programs. Senegalese military officials
attended a counterterrorism seminar and a Directors of Military
Intelligence conference. The Defense International Institute of
Legal Studies, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Treasury's Office
Technical Assistance, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) gave separate seminars on the legal aspects of
fighting terrorism.

The Government of Senegal did not provide safe haven for terrorists
or terrorist organizations, although terrorists were known to pass
through the country. The Government has not significantly improved
border controls since two Mauritanians who claimed to be members of
Al-Qaeda and who were involved in the December 2007 murder of four
French tourists in Aleg, Mauritania successfully traveled through
Senegal before being captured in a hotel in Guinea Bissau by
Bissau-Guinean police aided by French authorities on January 12.
The Mauritanians were able to cross four Senegalese borders without
being stopped by Senegalese authorities. This event demonstrates
Senegal's porous borders and lack of capacity to effectively
identify and combat terrorists threats and the need for further
training. Moreover, it is suspected that Hezbollah uses the
Lebanese community Senegal as a major source of financing.


BERNICAT