MOROCCO: 1988 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 02739

S/CT FOR WHARTON

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: 1988 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

GOC STATE 42378


1. (C - ENTIRE TEXT)
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2. FOLLOWING IS POST'S CONTRIBUTION TO DEPARTMENT'S
ANNUAL REPORT ON TERRORISM, KEYED TO SUGGESTED FORMAT.
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(1) MOROCCO
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(2) RELATIONSHIP WITH PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION:
THE PLO HAS HAD A DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN RABAT SINCE

1971. GOM-PLO RELATIONS SOURED IN 1987 OVER THE SEATING
OF A POLISARIO REPRESENTATIVE AT THE PALESTINIAN
NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING IN ALGIERS, RESULTING IN THE
DOWNGRADING OF RELATIONS AND DEPARTURE OF PLO BUREAU
CHIEF ABOU MARWAN. RELATIONS WERE NOT BROKEN, HOWEVER,
AND PLO RABAT BUREAU ACTING CHIEF MOHAMMED AL-ALAMI
PRESIDES OVER A STAFF OF A HALF DOZEN, INCLUDING A PRESS
ATTACHE, TWO SECURITY OFFICERS AND TWO SECRETARY-
COMMUNICATORS. THE BUREAU'S ACTIVITIES, WHICH
ARE MONITORED BY THE GOM, INCLUDE THE SUPPORT OF
PALESTINIANS STUDYING IN MOROCCO AND PROMOTION OF PLO
VIEWPOINTS IN THE MOROCCAN MEDIA. EXPATRIATE PLO BUREAU
STAFF MEMBERS ENJOY DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND ARE
ACTIVE INTHE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY. ACCORDING TO
KNOWLEDGEABLE SOURCES, THE BUREAU MAKES EVERY EFFORT
TO STAY OUT OF INTERNAL MOROCCAN POLITICS AND, TO THE
BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, TAKES NO PART IN ANY ACTIVITY
RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. IN KEEPING WITH
THIS POLICY, THE LOCAL BUREAU WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE
CASE OF A PLO SPLINTER GROUP, INVOLVING FOUR TERRORISTS
WHO CAME FROM TUNISIA IN AUGUST 1986 AND WERE PROMPTLY
ARRESTED IN CASABLANCA.

NASSIF