UNITED KINGDOM: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 020091 S/CT FOR REAP E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PTER UK SUBJECT: UNITED KINGDOM: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 286744 ¶1. FOLLOWING IS EMBASSY INPUT FOR THE UK PORTION OF THE 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT. RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO QUESTIONS POSED IN PARA 3 REFTEL. ¶2. PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND/OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM: -- HMG CONTINUES ACTIVELY TO PROSECUTE MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY (PIRA) AND ULSTER LOYALIST TERRORIST GROUPS FOR ATTACKS IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN BEFORE THEIR CEASEFIRES ON SEPTEMBER 1 AND OCTOBER 14 RESPECTIVELY. WE HAVE NOTED AT LEAST 17 PROSECUTIONS IN ENGLAND IN 1994, AS WELL AS AT LEAST 100 IN NORTHERN IRELAND. -- THREE PROBABLE PKK TERRORISTS WERE CONVICTED IN AUGUST FOR FIREBOMBS IN LONDON IN NOVEMBER 1993. -- DESPITE INTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ARRESTS AS YET FOR THE MARCH SERIES OF PIRA MORTAR BOMBS AT HEATHROW, OR THE BOMBINGS OF THE ISRAELI EMBASSY AND A JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER IN LONDON IN JULY. ¶3. EXTRADITIONS AND REQUESTS FOR EXTRADITION: -- HMG HAS BEEN EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE IN EXTRADITING SUSPECTED TERRORISTS (MOST ASSOCIATED WITH PIRA) TO THE U.S. FOR TRIAL. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM FBI HQ IN WASHINGTON. -- HMG ALSO EXTRADITED TWO ENGLISH WOMEN TO FACE TRIAL IN OREGON FOR CONSPIRACY TO MURDER A STATE ATTORNEY IN 1986 IN CONNECTION WITH THE BHAGWAN SRI RAJNEESH COMMUNE, DESPITE INTENSE OPPOSITION FROM BRITISH HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. -- HMG CONTINUES TO SEEK EXTRADITION FROM THE U.S. OF FOUR PIRA MEMBERS WHO ESCAPED FROM THE MAZE PRISON IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN 1983. A COURT IN CALIFORNIA REFUSED EXTRADITION OF THE FIRST OF THESE, JAMES SMYTH, BUT AN APPEAL IS UNDER CONSIDERATION. -- IN FEBRUARY, THE IRISH HIGH COURT REFUSED TO EXTRADITE JOSEPH MAGEE, WANTED FOR THE 1992 MURDER OF A BRITISH ARMY RECRUITING SERGEANT. -- PKK LEADER KANI YILMAZ, ARRESTED IN LONDON IN OCTOBER, IS RESISTING EXTRADITION TO GERMANY ON ARSON CHARGES. ¶4. SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS: -- INTIMIDATION OF JUDGES, JURORS AND WITNESSES HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN NORTHERN IRELAND. AS A RESULT, TRIALS OF TERRORIST SUSPECTS THERE ARE CONDUCTED WITHOUT JURIES (IN "DIPLOCK COURTS"),AND THE IDENTITY OF WITNESSES MAY BE WITHHELD FROM THE DEFENSE. -- QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF CONFESSION AND FORENSIC EVIDENCE IN TRIALS OF IRA SUSPECTS IN ENGLAND IN THE 1970'S CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE PROSECUTORS NOT TO BRING CASES TO TRIAL UNLESS THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING, AND MAKE JURORS RELUCTANT TO CONVICT. CURRENT COURT GUIDELINES ENABLE A JUDGE, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO REQUIRE DISCLOSURE TO THE DEFENSE OF ALL EVIDENCE CONNECTED WITH THE CASE, WHETHER OR NOT INTENDED FOR PROSECUTION USE. POLICE HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO PROSECUTE CASES IN WHICH INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS MIGHT THUS BE COMPROMISED. -- IN RECENT YEARS, PIRA HAS TRAINED ITS MEMBERS TO REFUSE TO ANSWER ANY POLICE QUESTIONS, THEN SPRING A SURPRISE ALIBI AT TRIAL; THIS HAS RESULTED IN ACQUITTALS BEFORE POLICE WERE ABLE TO REFUTE THE ALIBI. IN RESPONSE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PASSED LEGISLATION (IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN 1988, IN GREAT BRITAIN IN 1994) ENABLING A JUDGE TO DIRECT THE JURY THAT IT MAY DRAW AN INFERENCE OF GUILT FROM REFUSAL TO ANSWER REASONABLE QUESTIONS. -- WIRETAP EVIDENCE IS NOT ADMISSIBLE IN TRIALS IN THE UK, SINCE WIRETAPS DO NOT REQUIRE JUDICIAL REVIEW. ¶5. RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION: -- HMG CONTINUED TO COOPERATE CLOSELY WITH THE USG IN TRYING TO PERSUADE LIBYA TO SURRENDER FOR TRIAL THE TWO SUSPECTS IN THE 1988 BOMBING OF PAN AM 103 AND THE 1989 BOMBING OF UTA 772. -- BRITISH OFFICIALS COOPERATED WITH U.S. AND ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES IN INVESTIGATING THE BOMBING OF A JEWISH CENTER IN BUENOS AIRES. -- HMG CONDEMNED PALESTINIAN ATTACKS IN ISRAEL. -- THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE, AND TO DEMAND THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT LIFT THE THREAT TO HIS LIFE. ¶6. MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS: -- HMG AND THE IRISH GOVERNMENT COOPERATED IN APPLYING PRESSURE TO PIRA AND LOYALIST TERRORISTS TO ACCEPT THE DECEMBER 1993 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION AND CEASE TERRORISM. SINCE THE CEASEFIRES, BRITISH OFFICIALS HAVE ENTERED INTO EXPLORATORY DIALOGUE WITH THE PARAMILITARIES, AND SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MOVEMENT HAVE BEEN LIFTED. -- POLICE AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN NORTHERN IRELAND CONTINUED TO CRACK DOWN ON LOYALIST AND REPUBLICAN PROTECTION, FRAUD, SMUGGLING, MONEY-LAUNDERING AND VIDEO PIRATING RACKETS, WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MAIN SOURCES OF INCOME FOR TERRORIST GROUPS. -- THE UK PARTICIPATES ACTIVELY IN INTERNATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM FORA, COORDINATING ITS ACTIVITIES CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. AND OTHERS. IT ALSO PROVIDES COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE TO NUMEROUS GOVERNMENTS ON A BILATERAL BASIS. ¶7. HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: -- THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PROVIDES NO SUPPORT FOR ANY INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, AND COOPERATES CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. IN APPLYING PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENTS THAT SUPPORT OR CONDONE TERRORISM. -- HMG CONTINUES TO RESIST PRESSURE FROM OTHERS IN EUROPE TO RESTORE NORMAL RELATIONS WITH STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. IT HAS NO MISSION IN BAGHDAD, TRIPOLI OR PYONGYANG, AND ONLY A SKELETON STAFF IN TEHRAN. -- SEVERAL GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS MAINTAIN OFFICES IN THE UK, AND ARE PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN POLITICAL AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT VIOLATE BRITISH LAWS, BUT ARE CLOSELY MONITORED. ¶8. STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY: -- HMG HAS MADE NO SUCH STATEMENTS. ¶9. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SINCE 1993 IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM: -- APART FROM ITS LIMITED DIALOGUE WITH PARTIES AFFILIATED WITH REPUBLICAN AND LOYALIST PARAMILITARY GROUPS SINCE THEIR CEASEFIRES, THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN HMG'S ADAMANT OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM IN ALL FORMS. CROWE