1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 16691 S/CT FOR BREELAND E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER SUBJECT: 1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 355397 ¶1. (U) THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE PROVIDED FOR ZAIRE, AS REQUESTED IN REFTEL. THEY ARE KEYED TO REFTEL PARAGRAPH 5, ITEMS A - H. ¶2. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM A: THERE HAVE BEEN NO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM. ¶3. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM B: THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS NOT REQUESTED EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR PROSECUTION. THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS NOT EXTRADITED SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. A LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND A FRENCH MAGAZINE HAVE REPORTED THAT ZAIRIAN AUTHORITIES ARE HOLDING A SUSPECT IN THE SEPTEMBER 19, 1989 TERRORIST BOMBING OF A UTA AIRLINER. THE PRESS ALSO REPORTED THAT A FRENCH LEGAL TEAM CAME TO KINSHASA TO ASSIST IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SUSPECT, WHO IS EITHER A ZAIRIAN OR CONGOLESE CITIZEN. IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE FRENCH WILL REQUEST EXTRADITION, BUT IT IS NOT YET KNOWN WHAT THE ZAIRIAN RESPONSE WILL BE. ¶4. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM C: WE SEE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO ZAIRIAN PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. ¶5. (C) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM C: IN THE EVENT A SUSPECTED TERRORIST SHOULD BE LINKED TO LIBYA, ZAIRE WOULD NO DOUBT CONSIDER ITS GROWING (IF STILL LIMITED) TIES TO T RI P OL I. ¶6. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM D: PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THE PRESS TAKE AN ACCEPTABLE, I.E., CONDEMNATORY, STANCE ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. AS NOTED ABOVE, ZAIRE IS REPORTEDLY COOPERATING WITH THE FRENCH IN AN INCIDENT OF AVIATION TERRORISM. ¶7. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM E: ZAIRE IS GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. AND WESTERN POSITIONS ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, BUT IS NOT A LEADER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST IT. WHILE GENERALLY BACKING THE U.S., IT HAS TAKEN NO MAJOR INITIATIVES AGAINST TERRORISM IN INTERNATIONAL FORA. ¶8. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM F: ZAIRE HAS PROVIDED NO KNOWN SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. ¶9. (C) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM F: IN OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1990, A CABINDAN GROUP, THE FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE ENCLAVE OF CABINDA - MILITARY POSITION (FLEC-PM),TO WHICH ZAIRE PROVIDES SAFEHAVEN AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, TOOK AN AMERICAN CITIZEN HOSTAGE IN CABINDA. (QLDER AND SEPARATE FLEC ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN PORTUGUESE AND FRENCH CITIZENS HOSTAGE IN THE REGION. PORTUGUESE ARE STILL BEING HELD BY THIS GROUP.) THE ZAIRIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WILLING TO SUPPORT U.S. EFFORTS TO GAIN THE AMERICAN'S RELEASE, BUT HAS NOT YET HAD TO FACE ANY DIFFICULT DECISIONS, E.G., WHETHER TO WITHHOLD ASSISTANCE FROM THE CABINDAN GROUP AS A MEANS TO TRY TO GAIN THE HOSTAGE'S RELEASE. ¶10. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM G: THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS MADE NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE. ¶11. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM H: THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1989, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, IN ZAIRE'S ATTITUDE TOWARD INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC TERRORISM. HARROP