UGANDA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS KAMPALA 001436 SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE DEPT FOR NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC UG SUBJECT: UGANDA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 109980 ¶1. Summary: Uganda remained vulnerable to international terrorism, with members of al-Qa'ida East Africa using Uganda as a transit point. Al-Qa'ida and the Somali-based al Shabaab posed the most significant terrorist threats to Uganda. There were no terrorist attacks during the year, and Uganda took tangible steps to track, capture, and hold individuals with suspected links to terrorist organizations. Uganda continued to pursue the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in coordination with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). Additional counterterrorism legislation and law enforcement training will improve Uganda's ability to counter terrorist threats. End Summary. ¶2. There were no terrorists attacks in Uganda during the year. However, Uganda remained vulnerable to international terrorism. Uganda is not regarded as a terrorist safe haven, but al-Qa'ida East Africa members moving between the Horn of Africa, North Africa, and Europe continued to use Uganda as a transit point. While in transit, al-Qa'ida members are believed to have procured government documents illegally and engaged in recruitment activities. In response, the Government of Uganda increased efforts to track, capture, and hold individuals with suspected links to terrorist organizations. Uganda's Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JATT),which is comprised of military, police, and intelligence entities, led Uganda's counterterrorism response. ¶3. In September, November, and December, the Ugandan government raised alert levels and increased security at government installations, popular shopping centers, hotels, and other soft targets due to threats from al-Qaida East Africa and the Somali-based terrorist group al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab identified Uganda as a potential target in retaliation for Uganda's participation in the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. ¶4. The Ugandan military continued to track, in coordination with the DRC, Sudan, and CAR, remnants of the LRA, which was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in June 2008. The LRA has not carried out an attack in Uganda since mid-2006, but was responsible for killing, raping, and kidnapping hundreds of persons in southern Sudan, the DRC, and CAR. During the year, 255 LRA combatants surrendered to the government and were granted amnesty under the country's Amnesty Act of 2000. ¶5. The DRC based Ugandan rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) remained at large in eastern DRC. Although the ADF threat remained relatively minor compared to recent years, the group's access to funding and training from international support networks was of concern. Forty-eight ADF combatants were granted amnesty during the reporting period. ¶6. The U.S. Antiterrorism Assistance Program (ATA) conducted an assessment of the Ugandan government's counterterrorism capabilities in June. While the Ugandan government was a strong advocate for cross-border solutions to persistent security concerns in the Great Lakes Region, resource limitations and corruption hampered more effective counterterrorism measures. There is also a need to amend the 2002 Anti-terrorism Act, enact comprehensive anti-money laundering legislation pending before Parliament, and improve coordination and information sharing between security services. Greater police capacity to investigate cases against suspected terrorists is also required. ¶7. The U.S. Mission point of contact is Political Officer Trevor Olson, olsontr@state.gov. LANIER