JAMAICA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001024

SIPDIS
S/CT - RHONDA SHORE
WHA/CAR - JOSLYN MACK-WILSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN PINS PREL AEMR KCRM KHLS JM XL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 109980 (232145Z OCT 09)


1. Per reftel, the following is suggested narrative input for
Jamaica:



(begin text)



Jamaica's proximity to the United States, well developed sea lanes
and air links, and the transit of over two million travelers
annually between the United States and Jamaica make the country a
potential transit point for terrorists. In 2009, the United States
and Jamaica continued their close cooperation in a variety of
counterterrorism-related areas, which included the Container
Security Initiative, provision of equipment and training to the
Jamaica Defense Force and Constabulary Force, and law enforcement
intelligence sharing. In 2007, following his imprisonment in the
United Kingdom for inciting murder and for fomenting terrorism and
racial hatred, British authorities deported the radical
Jamaican-born cleric Sheik Abdullah El-Faisal. Jamaican and U.S.
authorities remain concerned about El-Faisal's plans, intentions,
and influence.



Jamaica's inability to track inbound and outbound persons beyond
two years is a vulnerability. The country's entry/exit computer
system (controlled by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship
Agency) has no more storage capacity and thus can only recall two
years of entry/exit records. The system also is unreliable for
look-outs and/or exploitation of advance passenger manifests to
target incoming passengers. Jamaican Customs' ability to target
inbound/outbound/transiting containers is limited to a paper-based
system. (Note: all paper files that document entry/exit prior to
2004 have been lost in a warehouse fire.)



(end text)




2. Embassy point-of-contact is Lloyd Moss, IVG 929-6083, e-mail
mosslw@state.gov
Parnell