BOTSWANA 2009 REPORT ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS GABORONE 001001

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMRBC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA 2009 REPORT ON TERRORISM
Botswana


1. Botswana has a low terrorism threat. No acts of domestic or
international terrorism occurred in Botswana during 2009.


2. While there was no evidence of terrorists using Botswana in this
way in 2009, two reports in recent years suggest that terrorists
could use Botswana as a transit point due to its long, porous
borders. There was a 2006 report of organized smuggling of
immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan and a 2007 report stated
that suspected Islamic militant Haroon Rashid Aswad resided in
Botswana in 2005 prior to his arrest in Zambia. The large number of
Zimbabwean economic migrants who are living in Botswana after
crossing the border illegally also demonstrates that the border is
easily crossed.


3. Botswana is a member of the Southern Africa Development
Community (SADC),whose Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security is
responsible for its counterterrorism efforts. The Government of
Botswana has a National Counterterrorism Committee to address issues
pertaining to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Botswana's
first intelligence agency, which is responsible for both domestic
and foreign intelligence gathering, was established in 2008. The
Botswana Defense Force designated a squadron as its counterterrorist
unit and sent several officers to IMET-sponsored counterterrorism
training. Members of the Botswana Police Service also received
antiterrorism training at the International Law Enforcement Academy
located in Gaborone, Botswana.


4. In April 2009, Botswana's Parliament passed legislation to
create a Financial Intelligence Agency (FIU). The FIU will
harmonize Botswana's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist
financing regime. While the legislation for this has been enacted,
the FIU is still being established. Until the Financial
Intelligence Unit (FIU) is functioning, the Directorate on
Corruption and Economic Crimes has a dedicated unit that will
continue investigating suspicious transactions. One goal of this
legislation is to decrease the likelihood that terrorist financing
could move through Botswana's financial institutions. Terrorist
financing is not criminalized as a specific offense in Botswana.
However, acts of terrorism and related offenses, such as aiding and
abetting, can be prosecuted under the Penal Code and under the Arms
and Ammunitions Act.


5. The Bank of Botswana circulates to financial institutions the
names of suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations listed on
the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee's consolidated list, the list of
Specially Designated Global Terrorists designated by the United
States pursuant to E.O. 13224, and the EU list. This circulation,
however, is done on more of a voluntary, informational basis than a
legal one because, as a World Bank assessment of the Botswana
government's anti-money laundering and countering terrorism
financing legislation noted, Botswana does not have a legal
framework to implement UNSCR 1267 and 1373 or freeze assets based on
these frameworks.


6. No legal cases related to terrorism or terrorist financing were
prosecuted by the Government of Botswana in 2009. There were no
extradition requests from the United States to Botswana or vice
versa. Botswana and the United States do not have a treaty on
extradition.


7. There is no evidence that Botswana provides safe haven to
terrorists.


8. Embassy point of contact is Pol/Econ officer Adrienne Taylor at
TaylorAB@state.gov.
HAMILTON