NAMIBIA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000440 SIPDIS S/CT RHONDA SHORE, NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMR WA SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM REF: SECSTATE 109980 ¶1. (U) Namibia enjoys a low terrorism threat. No acts of international or domestic terrorism took place in Namibia in ¶2009. ¶2. (U) In 2009, the Government of Namibia (GRN) passed (but has not yet enacted) the Communications Bill, which allows intelligence services to monitor emails and Internet usage with the authorization of any magistrate. The legislation also allows for the interception of phone calls and text messages. Per post's 2008 counterterrorism report, the Drug Control Bill and the Antiterrorism Bill were not enacted during the reporting period, although the latter-- which prohibits persons from providing any support for the commission of terrorist acts and prescribes tough penalties-- is expected to be passed in 2010. Namibia is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union, which occasionally engage in discussions on counterterrorism and border security. The Ministry of Home Affairs took some steps to improve border security, namely computerizing 75 percent of its border control management system to better track port of entry arrivals and departures. The Ministry of Home Affairs plans to complete this process in early 2010. ¶3. (U) No legal cases related to terrorism or terrorist financing were prosecuted by the GRN in 2009. There were no new extradition requests from the United States to Namibia or vice versa. Namibia and the United States do not have a treaty on extradition, however in 2006, President Pohamba issued a proclamation related to the Extradition Act, which designated the United States as a country to which extraditions are permitted. ¶4. (U) There is no evidence that Namibia provides safe haven to terrorists. ¶3. (U) Embassy point of contact is Poloff Emily Plumb at plumbea@state.gov MATHIEU