EL SALVADOR: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001107 SIPDIS S/CT FOR RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER ES SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 109980 ¶1. El Salvador Country report on terrorism submitted in compliance with reftel. ¶2. Begin text. In 2009 the government of El Salvador cooperated closely with the United States on counterterrorism efforts, and took active steps to protect U.S. interests and citizens from terrorist attacks. El Salvador provided valuable assistance to regional security efforts by hosting the Comalapa Cooperative Security Location (CSL),a regional Department of Defense (DOD) narcotics detection and interdiction hub. El Salvador is also host to the USG-funded International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), which provides instruction on counterterrorism, transnational crime, alien trafficking, money laundering, and other topics of interest within the USG counterterrorism agenda. El Salvador also worked within the regional Central American Integration System (SICA in Spanish) to promote effective regional responses to transnational crime and other public security threats. There are no indications that El Salvador is being used as a safe haven for individual terrorists or for terrorist organizations. The government of El Salvador appears to be vigilant in its efforts to ensure that Salvadoran territory is not used for recruitment, training, or financing of terrorism. The government of El Salvador does not provide diplomatic support, recognition, nor diplomatic privileges to any known terrorist organizations, and has generally been supportive of U.S. stances relating to international terrorism at the United Nations General Assembly and other international bodies. The Salvadoran government has, however, recently established diplomatic relations with Cuba, and has expanded cooperation with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Salvadoran government cooperates closely with U.S. counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts. The principal Salvadoran counterterrorism entity, the National Civilian Police (PNC),works in close cooperation with the Salvadoran Immigration Service, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Office of State Intelligence, and is well regarded by U.S. counterparts. A 2006 statute establishes strict criminal liability for engaging in terrorism, while other statutes outlaw money laundering and terrorist financing. In 2008 various Salvadoran and international press reports alleged the involvement of a high-ranking member of the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN in Spanish) political party in arranging arms purchases on behalf of the Colombian FARC. Other media reports alleged that a Salvadoran narcotics trafficking organization based in San Miguel province (in the far eastern portion of the country, near the border with Honduras) was transshipping cocaine and heroin that originated from the FARC onwards to Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S. End text. ¶3. Embassy point of contact is POL/MIL Officer Anthony K. Stapleton, stapletonak@state.gov. BLAU