DESPITE SECURITY BREACH, BRUSSELS AIRLINES TO CONTINUE

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000626

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAIR AMGT KFRD LI
SUBJECT: DESPITE SECURITY BREACH, BRUSSELS AIRLINES TO CONTINUE
FLIGHTS FROM MONROVIA

REF A: MONROVIA 609; REF B: MONROVIA 612


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: After considering suspending operations of its
Monrovia-Brussels flight following the discovery of a passport fraud
ring and threats to its staff, Brussels Airlines has determined that
it can shore up existing gaps in security, customs and immigration
procedures and continue operations. Visiting high level officials
from the airline have received assurances that the GOL will work to
improve procedures at the airport, and that the staff will be safe.
To limit its risk exposure, Brussels will deploy its own
Belgium-based security team and will not accept cargo in the near
term. Brussels Airlines will therefore retain its near-monopoly on
a lucrative route that other carriers still hope to enter. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Brussels Airlines' Vice President of Sales in Africa and
the USA, Herman Carpentier, and Vice President of Security and
Contingency, Werner Vandenbergh, met with the Charge, RSO, POL/ECON
and UNMIL security team August 26 to discuss the future of Brussels
Airlines' operations in Monrovia, following the recent discovery of
a network using fraudulent U.S. passports to traffic malafide
passengers to Europe (ref A).


3. (SBU) Carpentier said that Brussels "sat on the edge of stopping
operations" when Brussels Airline staff were "put under severe
pressure" following the discovery of the ring. However, since their
arrival, discussions are "going on the right track" which has
lessened the need for higher personal protection of staff. The
airline will continue flights four times per week to Brussels,
despite earlier warnings that chronic security threats might force
the airline to withdraw service from Roberts International Airport.
However, they will implement new security features to alleviate
concern over the integrity of passengers, documents, and cargo on
board. "We don't want to jeopardize our commercial activity, but
the security of our staff and customers comes first," he said.


4. (SBU) Beginning August 24, Brussels deployed its own security
team to control access and boarding on flights and will rotate the
security team every month. Vandenbergh did note this is an interim
solution to continue operations in the absence of other actors (most
notably the security firm ESM, which supported airport security
until last week, when the Liberian Civil Aviation Authority removed
them for failing to detect the passport ring). Brussels plans to
hire a new security firm once its own staff, with the help of
Lockheed Martin, the new airport manager (ref B),can improve
security and accountability measures at RIA.


5. (SBU) Carpentier said that RIA was a "simple" airport with only
four access points, and in theory should be easy to secure. His
greater concern is screening of baggage and cargo. "What are they
looking for? Prohibited items, or what to steal?," he questioned.
The carrier used to conduct its own inspection of hand luggage until
the airport authorities prevented them from doing so, and without
ESM the airline cannot ensure the integrity of cargo and
unaccompanied baggage such as mail on its flight. It has therefore
imposed a moratorium on cargo. Brussels Airlines, which handles
much of Embassy Monrovia and UNMIL's cargo, agreed to make an
exception for diplomatic pouches, provided "delivery can be 100%
assured." (Note: Post is looking into several workarounds,
including using DHL. End Note.)


6. (SBU) COMMENT: That Brussels Airlines sent a team of senior
managers who report directly to the airlines' CEO demonstrates a
concrete commitment to shoring up security at RIA. However, given
that airlines from Delta to Royal Jordanian Airlines have expressed
interest in the high-margin West African routes, Brussels would be
unlikely to relinquish its near-monopoly and first-comer advantage
in Monrovia. While the direct flight from the United States remains
a top GOL priority at the senior-most levels, the recent security
incidents and the likely implication of working-level airport staff
signal that security and operational controls at RIA remain fragile
and much work remains to be done.

ROBINSON