THE PRESIDENT'S NEW COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVE

S E C R E T STATE 019130


E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER, EFIN, PREL
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S NEW COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVE

1. SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT. THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE.

2. SUMMARY: ON JANUARY 24, PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO BLOCK ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES OF
TWELVE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS THAT THREATEN
TO DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS. THE ORDER
ALSO PROHIBITS FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS WITH THESE
GROUPS. THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO ANNOUNCED JANUARY 24 THAT
THE PRESIDENT WILL SOON SEND TO THE CONGRESS NEW,
STRENGTHENED, ANTI-TERRORIST LEGISLATION. THESE
INITIATIVES , TOGETHER, RESPOND TO A RISING INCIDENCE OF
TERRORISM AIMED ATTHE PEACE PROCESS, THE PROBLEM OF
FUNDING OF TERRORIST GROUPS BY DONORS IN THE U.S., AND
THE CONTINUING THREAT FROM INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM OF
ALL KINDS, WORLDWIDE. POSTS ARE ASKED TO BRIEF HOST
GOVERNMENTS ON THESE U.S. INITIATIVES AND URGE THEM TO
TAKE SIMILAR STEPS TO BROADEN THEIR COUNTERTERRORISM
LAWS, INCLUDING, ESPECIALLY, MEASURES AGAINST FUND
RAISING. YOU MAY DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS,
TAILORING THEM TO FIT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR HOST
GOVERNMENT AND OUR BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. END SUMMARY.

-- THE MENACE OF TERRORISM CONTINUES TO THREATEN
THE SECURITY AND WELL-BEING OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AROUND
THE WORLD, AND INTERNATIONAL CONCERN ABOUT TERRORISM IS
RISING.

-- TERRORISM IS A PARTICULAR THREAT TO THE MIDDLE
EAST PEACE PROCESS, AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE BOMBING
ATTACK IN ISRAEL WHICH KILLED AT LEAST 19 ON JANUARY 22,
AND MANY OTHER RECENT ATTACKS THERE.

-- OTHER EXAMPLES OF TERRORISM DESIGNED TO DISRUPT
THE PEACE PROCESS BY ATTACKING THOSE WHO SUPPORT IT,
INCLUDE ATTACKS ON EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES,
THREATS AGAINST PALESTINIANS, THE MASSACRE AT THE MOSQUE
IN HEBRON, AND BOMBINGS IN BUENOS AIRES AND LONDON
AGAINST ISRAELI AND JEWISH TARGETS.

-- SUCH ATTACKS THREATEN TO DISRUPT A PROCESS OF
PEACE AND RECONCILIATION TO WHICH ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS
AND SEVERAL ARAB STATES HAVE MADE AN HISTORIC AND
COURAGEOUS COMMITMENT.

THE PRESIDENT IS TAKING TWO IMPORTANT INITIATIVES.
FIRST, TO STRENGTHEN UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO COUNTER
THE DANGER OF TERRORISM TO THE PEACE PROCESS, AND
SECOND, TO COMBAT THE GLOBAL TERRORIST THREAT.

--------------
EXECUTIVE ORDER
--------------

-- ON JANUARY 24, PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO BLOCK ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES OF
TWELVE DESIGNATED MIDDLE EAST TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.
THE ORDER ALSO PROHIBITS TRANSFERS BY U.S. DONORS TO
THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

-- THE TWELVE DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE:

-- ABU NIDAL ORGANIZATION (ANO)

-- DEMOCRATIC FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (DFLP)

-- HIZBALLAH

-- ISLAMIC GAMA'AT (IG)

-- ISLAMIC RESISTANCE MOVEMENT (HAMAS)

-- JIHAD

-- KACH

-- KAHANE CHAI

-- PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD-SHIQAQI FACTION (PIJ)

-- PALESTINE LIBERATION FRONT-ABU ABBAS FACTION (PLF-ABU ABBAS)

-- POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (PFLP)

-- POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE-GENERAL COMMAND (PFLP-GC)

OTHER GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DESIGNATED, AS
NEEDED, IN ADMINISTERING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.

-- THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDER IS TO PREVENT FUNDING
FROM U.S. SOURCES OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES WHICH THREATEN
TO DISRUPT THE PEACE PROCESS.

-- THE ORDER WILL BAR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS IN
CASES WHERE THE RECEIVING ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGE IN
TERRORISM OR ACT FOR THOSE THAT DO.

-- (AS APPROPRIATE) WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM
OF FOREIGN FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SOME OF THESE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST.

-- (FOR ALL) SUPPORT BY PRIVATE FOREIGN DONORS TO
GROUPS WHICH ENGAGE IN TERRORISM AGAINST THE PEACE
PROCESS IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM WHICH REQUIRES ALL
OF US TO TAKE A COMMON APPROACH.

-- WE ASK THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT ADOPT SIMILAR LEGAL
MEASURES TO PREVENT PRIVATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ANY OF
THESE ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THEY
ARE RECEIVING FUNDS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM DONORS
IN YOUR COUNTRY.

-- WE BELIEVE SUCH AN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE
EFFORT, ON AN URGENT BASIS, WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE
SUPPORT THESE GROUPS RECEIVE, AND THUS WEAKEN THEIR
ABILITY TO CARRY OUT TERRORISTS ACTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO
IMPROVING THE PROSPECTS FOR ACHIEVING A JUST, LASTING,
AND COMPREHENSIVE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, A GOAL WE
ALL SHARE.

--------------
NEW LEGISLATION
--------------

-- THE SECOND NEW U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVE
ANNOUNCED JANUARY 24 IS NEW DRAFT LEGISLATION, A
COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE TO UPGRADE THE ABILITY OF THE U.S.
TO DETECT TERRORIST ACTS AND PUNISH THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN
TERRORISM. THE PRESIDENT WILL SEND THIS TO THE CONGRESS
SOON.

-- THIS LEGISLATION IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE
ABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES, APPLYING THE RULE OF LAW,
TO PREVENT TERRORIST ACTS, IDENTIFY PERPETRATORS, AND
BRING THEM TO JUSTICE.

-- THESE TWO INITIATIVES SHOW THE STRONG COMMITMENT
OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
AND TO THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. WE HOPE YOUR
GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER SIMILAR INITIATIVES.


CHRISTOPHER