PERU: CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON TERR...

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 04116 DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 DEA FOR OF, PS, OC, OI USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE E.O. 12356: DECL: 03/29/88 TAGS: PTER PE SUBJECT: PERU: CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON TERR... id: 209 date: 3/29/1988 18:36 refid: 88LIMA4116 origin: Embassy Lima classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: 87LIMA5659|87LIMA6577|88STATE42378 header: O 291836Z MAR 88 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7299 INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO USAFSO HOWARD AFB PM USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM DEAHQS WASHDC -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 04116 DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 DEA FOR OF, PS, OC, OI USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE E.O. 12356: DECL: 03/29/88 TAGS: PTER PE SUBJECT: PERU: CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON TERRORISM REF: (A) STATE 42378 - (B) 87 LIMA 5659 - (C) 87 LIMA 6577 ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. FOLLOWING IS PERU PORTION OF DEPARTMENT'S NEW ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM (REF A). REFS B AND C CONTAIN MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON PERUVIAN GUERRILLA GROUPS. ¶3. SINCE THE APPEARANCE OF TERRORISM IN 1980, TERRORIST ATTACKS AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSES HAVE RESULTED IN A DEATH TOLL ESTIMATED AT OVER 10,000. DURING 1987, PERU CONTINUED TO CONFRONT TWO SIGNIFICANT TERRORIST GROUPS. THE LARGER GROUP, KNOWN AS "SENDERO LUMINOSO" ("SHINING PATH"),KILLED AT LEAST 600 PERSONS IN 1987. ITS VICTIMS RANGED FROM PEASANT OPPONENTS TO GOVERNMENT AND PARTY OFFICIALS AND THE SECURITY FORCES. IN ADDITION, SENDERO CARRIED OUT NUMEROUS BOMBINGS AND BLACKOUTS. DURING ONE BLACKOUT IN NOVEMBER 1987, SENDERO DETONATED A BOMB IN FRONT OF THE U.S. EMBASSY, CAUSING MINOR MATERIAL DAMAGE. THE SMALLER "TUPAC AMARU REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT" (MRTA) ALSO WAS ACTIVE DURING 1987, KILLING AS MANY AS 20 PERSONS AND CARRYING OUT NUMEROUS BOMBINGS. THE MRTA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BOMBED THE USG INSTALLATIONS AND U.S. COMPANIES, CAUSING MINOR MATERIAL DAMAGES (BUT NO PERSONAL INJURIES). NO FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUPS CARRIED OUT ATTACKS IN PERU. ¶4. THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO MAKE IMPORTANT ARRESTS OF ALLEGED TERRORISTS DURING 1987, INCLUDING HIGH- RANKING MEMBERS OF THE MRTA. THE GOVERNMENT NONETHE- LESS WAS UNABLE TO WEAKEN SENDERO SIGNIFICANTLY, AND SENDERO APPEARS TO HAVE ENLARGED ITS AREA OF OPERATIONS DURING THE PAST YEAR. PARTICULARLY WORRISOME IS SENDERO'S EXPANSION INTO THE COCA-PRODUCING AREAS OF THE JUNGLE, LEADING THE GOVERNMENT TO CHARGE THAT SENDERO IS COOPERATING WITH NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS. THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE IN SOME INSTANCES; IT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE THAT SENDERO HAS SOUGHT TO PORTRAY ITSELF AS DEFENDING PEASANT COCA GROWERS. ¶5. JUDICIAL EFFORTS AGAINST TERRORISM CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY. THERE IS A HUGE BACKLOG IN PERUVIAN COURTS, AND TERRORISM SUSPECTS FREQUENTLY ARE DETAINED FOUR YEARS PENDING TRIAL. FEWER THAN 50 PERSONS WERE CONVICTED OF TERRORISM DURING 1987. AMONG THE CASES CURRENTLY BEING TRIED ARE 15 PERSONS ACCUSED OF THE JUNE 26, 1986 BOMBING OF THE CUZCO TRAIN STATION, DURING WHICH TWO AMERICANS AND SEVEN OTHER FOREIGNERS WERE KILLED, AND SEVERAL AMERICANS WERE WOUNDED. ¶6. SENDERO DOES NOT APPEAR TO RECEIVE ANY SUPPORT FROM ANY FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OR FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUP. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES AND SEVERAL WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE COLLECTED FUNDS ON BEHALF OF SENDERO, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW THESE FUNDS ARE CHANNELED TO SENDERO. THE INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT, A GROUP OF MAOIST PARTIES HEADQUARTERED IN LONDON, PERIODICALLY ISSUES MANIFESTOS SUPPORTING SENDERO. ¶7. CLAIMS OF CUBAN AND NICARAGUAN SUPPORT FOR THE MRTA SURFACE FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PERUVIAN PRESS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN THAT AT LEAST ONE MRTA LEADER TRAVELED RECENTLY TO NICARAGUA BUT HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED OR CLAIMED THAT THESE COUNTRIES PROVIDED ANY MATERIAL SUPPORT TO THE MRTA. THE MRTA DOES HAVE CLOSE TIES TO THE M-19 TERRORISTS OF COLOMBIA AND THE ALFARO VIVE CARAJO OF ECUADOR. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE MRTA HAS ACQUIRED ARMS FROM ONE OR BOTH OF THESE GROUPS. ¶8. PERU GIVES NO OFFICIAL RECOGNITION TO THE PLO, BUT THE PLO HAS HAD AN INFORMATION OFFICE IN PERU SINCE 1979. PERU DOES NOT ACCORD OFFICIAL STATUS TO THE SALVADORAN FMLN. ¶9. PERU RECEIVED NO EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR TERRORISTS DURING 1987. IN 1986, PERU DEPORTED TO ECUADOR AN ECUADOREAN CITIZEN ACCUSED BY HIS GOVERNMENT OF PARTICIPATING IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. PERU DID NOT INITIATE ANY EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR TERRORISM IN ¶1987. ¶10. PERU HAS NOT ASSISTED, TRAINED, OR PROVIDED SANCTUARY TO FOREIGN TERRORISTS. WATSON =======================CABLE ENDS============================