TAJIKISTAN: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001445

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, NCTC, INL, S/CT PLEASE PASS TO RSHORE AND NCTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL ASEC TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM


1. (SBU) Following is the submission from U.S. Embassy Dushanbe
for Tajikistan's Country Report on Terrorism:




2. (U) Tajikistan's security forces confronted and neutralized
members of extremist groups in Tavildara district in spring and
summer 2009. Government forces killed several suspected members
of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU),while other
extremists fled the area as a result of counterterrorism
operations by the government from May to August. The extremists
had infiltrated from Afghanistan and, reportedly, from Russia.
Tajikistani security forces also fought extremists near Dushanbe
and in northern Tajikistan, as well as on the border with
Kyrgyzstan.




3. (U) While security forces were able to defeat the incursion
in Tavildara, they continued to suffer from lack of resources.
Border Guards and other services lacked appropriate technical
equipment, transport resources, personnel, and training to
interdict illegal border crossings, detect and analyze hazardous
substances effectively and quickly respond to incursions.
Pervasive corruption and low wages also undermined the
motivation of security force members to interdict smugglers or
traffickers.




4. (U) Tajikistan's 1,300 kilometer long border with Afghanistan
is lightly guarded. Much of it runs through remote and
difficult terrain, which allowed smugglers, extremists, and
terrorists to travel to and from Afghanistan. To address
transshipment of illicit goods across Tajikistan's borders, the
United States and other donors assisted the Government of
Tajikistan's efforts to secure its border with Afghanistan. We
provided communication support to the Border Guards, built a
commercial customs facility at the Nizhny Pyanj bridge, and
provided technical and scanning equipment at this location. The
U.S. Department of Defense sponsored two Counter Narcoterrorism
Training (formerly Joint Combined Exchange Training) events with
Tajikistani security forces to improve their capacity to conduct
counterterrorism operations. The U.S. Department of State
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau (INL)
provided the State Committee for National Security with a
Counter Narcotics/Counterterrorism Analytical Center which
included space refurbishment, computer hardware, analytical
software, and training. INL refurbished three Border Guard
Service outposts on the border with Afghanistan.




5. (U) Tajikistan hosted Exercise Regional Cooperation 10,
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. This exercise
focused on regional response to terrorism and strengthening
cooperation among Central Asian countries. The Tajikistani
government participated in regional security alliances,
including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the
Collective Security Treaty Organization.




6. (U) Tajikistan prohibited activities by groups it considered
extremist, including Salafis and the Jamaat e Tabligh, and
closely monitored groups it listed as terrorist organizations,
including the IMU and Hizb ut-Tahrir. The USG assessed that
supporters of terrorist groups such as al-Qa'ida, the Islamic
Jihad Union, and the IMU were active in the region.




7. (U) Point of contact on this issue is William von Zagorski,
vonzagorskiwf@state.gov .

GROSS