CUBA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS HAVANA 007901 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE DEPT FOR S/CT FOR REAP E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PTER CU SUBJECT: CUBA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 286744 ¶1. AS REQUESTED, BELOW ARE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS LISTED IN REFTEL PARA 3: (A) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DURING 1994. THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT SUBMITTED DIPLOMATIC NOTES TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN FEBRUARY AND MAY 1994 PROTESTING THE ALLEGED "IMPUNITY" WITH WHICH ANTI-CUBA TERRORIST GROUPS ARE PERMITTED TO OPERATE IN U.S. TERRITORY. (B) POST HAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING ANY EXTRADITION, OR REQUEST FOR EXTRADITION, TO CUBA OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR PROSECUTION BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT. (C) CLOSE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM COULD IMPEDE CUBAN GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. (D) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CUBAN GOVERNMENT ACTIONS TO CONDEMN OR INVESTIGATE TERRORIST ACTS. (E) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 1994 BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT. (F) CUBAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM HAS DECLINED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THE EVER DEEPENING ECONOMIC CRISIS FACING CUBA HAS REDUCED THE RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO WIN BOTH INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SUPPORT AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT HAS RESULTED IN DIMINISHED SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. CUBA, HOWEVER, CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN STRONG DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SYRIA. BEYOND THE GROUP OF BASQUE TERRORISTS WHO SOUGHT REFUGE IN CUBA SEVERAL YEARS AGO, POST HAS NO NEW INFORMATION REGARDING TERRORISTS HARBORED IN CUBA. (G) THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PRESS IS CAREFUL TO AVOID ANY EXPLICIT SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM. (H) POST SEES NO CHANGE FROM 1993 IN THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT POSITION REGARDING TERRORISM. SULLIVAN