TUNISIA: 2009 TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS TUNIS 000942 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT (RSHORE),AND NEA/MAG PASS NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AMER TS SUBJECT: TUNISIA: 2009 TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 109980 -------------- General Assessment -------------- ¶1. The Government of Tunisia continued to place a high priority on combating extremism and terrorism in 2009. In addition to using security and law enforcement measures, the Tunisian government also used social and economic programs including health care and public education to ameliorate factors contributing to extremism. The government prohibits the formation of religious-based political parties and groups it believes could pose a terrorist threat. Tunisia does not have a rehabilitation or reintegration program. The Tunisian government puts a high priority on controlling the border regions and the country is not a potential safe haven for terrorists. ¶2. July 30, 2009 the Chamber of Advisors amended the 2003 anti-terrorism law to harmonize national legislation with UN resolutions related to terrorism financing and money laundering. The amendments included measures to establish databases on terrorist financial transactions; protect the identities of magistrates, judicial police officers and civil servants involved in terrorism and money laundering cases; freeze funds belonging to people accused of terrorist activities; and extend from two to five days the period allowed for a public prosecutor to issue his judgment on investigations carried out by the Financial Analysis Commission. The new legislation also made a clear distinction between terrorism and resistance, with specific reference to the Palestinians. ¶3. The GOT enforces an anti-terrorism law passed in 2003. However the GOT's application of the 2003 anti-terrorism law was criticized by Tunisian and international organizations which maintain that too many individuals undergo extended pre-trial detention and face unfair trials that rely on weak evidence. In response to a claim by Tunisian lawyers that 2000 people had been sentenced under the anti-terrorism law, the Minister of Justice stated May 27 that 300 persons were being detained on terrorism charges. -------------- - Alleged Threat Against U.S. Military Personnel -------------- - ¶4. On July 2 a private Tunisian lawyer announced in the press that the government was charging two military officers along with seven civilians for plotting to attack U.S. military personnel in country. On July 14, Tunisian media reported that prosecutors dropped charges, citing lack of evidence, against the two officers. -------------- Public Cases -------------- ¶5. This list is not comprehensive and lists only those sentences publicly announced. It does not include those who were arrested and appeared before a judge but were not sentenced. -- March 26, the court in Grombalia, Nabeul sentenced a man to three years in prison for joining a terrorist movement. He had been previously arrested in December 2006 and released 18 days later. -- April 11, the Tunisian Court of Appeal gave 50 young individuals sentences ranging from 15 months to seven years in prison for membership in an illegal Salafist group. The group was originally arrested following the December 2006/January 2007 "Soliman" case, in which government security forces broke up, south of Tunis, a group called "Assad Ibn Fourat's Army," which had reportedly been training to commit terrorist acts. -- May 14, a woman was sentenced to six years in prison for belonging to a terrorist organization, incitement to join terrorist organizations, funding terrorism and traveling outside the country without official documents. -- May 20, a military court sentenced one person to three years in prison on terror-related charges. -- In June, the Tunisian Appeals Court sentenced 22 individuals to 3-8 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist organization, obtaining supplies and equipment for the organization and for calling for acts of terrorism. One of the 22 individuals convicted was a non-commissioned military officer. -- July 6, 19 individuals suspected of belonging to the Pan-Islamist "Party of Liberation," were given sentences ranging from 11-14 months in prison for belonging to a foreign terrorist organization. -- August 2, a Tunisian was forcibly repatriated from Italy to Tunisia after completing a six year sentence for belonging to a terrorist organization. He was arrested upon his arrival in Tunisia and then released on bail August 10. The police informed him that he could not leave his house or receive visitors without permission from the police. -- October 1, the Tunis court sentenced 6 individuals to one year in prison for holding an unauthorized meeting, and one person to ten years for belonging to a terrorist organization and inciting terrorist acts. -- October 17, nine men were given sentences ranging from 3-6 years in prison on terror related charges. ¶6. Tunisians Involved in Cases Abroad: -- April 24, General David H. Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, in public testimony during a hearing in the House of Representatives said that four Tunisians had crossed the Syrian-Iraqi border to carry out several bombings in Baghdad and Diyala province. -- May 25, a Belgian paper reported the Egyptian authorities arrested seven members of a cell with links to al-Qa'ida, one of them being a Belgian of Tunisian origin. The seven were arrested on suspicion of having carried out a bomb attack on February 22 in Cairo. -- June 30, five Tunisians arrested in 2008 were ordered to stand trial in Italy on charges of being members of al-Qa'ida and of recruiting for the jihad. -- In November, the Italian police broke up an Islamist cell based in northern Italy. The police announced the arrest of 20 suspects across Europe, reportedly mostly Tunisians, linked to the cell. ¶7. The Embassy POC is Laura Byergo, e-mail: byergolg@state.gov, Tel: (216)71-107-306 GRAY