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