P R 091647Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1507
DIA WASHINGTON DC
DIR ONDCP WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHDC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY LISBON 
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
AMEMBASSY PRAIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAIA 000188 
 
 
EUCOM PASS AFRICOM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  7/9/2018 
TAGS: PINR PREL SNAR OEXC CV
SUBJECT: CAPE VERDE SEEKS HELP AS IT STANDS UP ITS INTELLIGENCE 
SERVICE 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Patrick Dunn, Charge, AMEMBASSY PRAIA, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (c), (d) 
 
 
This is an action request:  Please see paras 5 and 6. 
 
¶1. (C) On June 30, Charge met with Diplomatic Advisor to the 
Prime Minister Antonio Nascimento, to discuss his recent 
participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program on 
transnational crime.  Nascimento has also been quietly tasked 
with assuming the lead on standing up Cape Verde's new 
intelligence service, the National Information Service (SIR), 
and discussion quickly turned to GOCV needs in this area. 
 
¶2. (U) Nascimento was exceedingly impressed with the 
organization of the IVLP program, and was inspired by some of 
the meetings he had.  In particular the visit graphically 
demonstrated for him the importance of a well-designed and 
properly staffed command center to coordinate responses to 
emergent situations, crises, or operational engagements. 
Nascimento's other significant take-away was the importance for 
Cape Verde of getting its arms around "technical crimes" such as 
identity theft and cyber crime. 
 
¶3. (C) Applying these lessons directly to his SIR portfolio, 
Nascimento outlined three strategic objectives for the new 
service.  First, the ability to visualize threats to the 
territory of Cape Verde (much of which is maritime).  This, he 
summarized as the ability to gather information.  Second, 
analytical capability, to turn that raw information into 
actionable intelligence and the capacity to disseminate that 
information to decisionmakers.  Third, he pointed to the need to 
have the capacity to react to intelligence, and to deter threats 
to the country.  Nascimento has been in close contact with a 
number of intelligence services, and understands the breadth of 
the task he is facing, from collection capability, to 
networking, to recruitment, training, analysis, and direct 
action. 
 
¶4. (C) Nascimento feels some urgency in his task, but is not, in 
Post's view, rushing into any poor decisions.  He has 
methodically planned and executed legislative approvals, 
implementing regulations, organizational charts, outreach to 
other elements of the international intelligence community, and 
coalition building within the GOCV.  His strategic framework in 
place, Nascimento now feels the time is ripe for moving to the 
next stage, of standing up the entity, constructing secure 
office space, and recruiting and training staff.  Nascimento 
outlined four short-term goals as his next steps:  (1) 
rehabilitate a building for use as the SIR headquarters; (2) 
pass the organic law for the SIR, which essentially implements 
his proposed organizational structure; (3) pass a state secrets 
law; and (4) begin recruitment. 
 
¶5. (C) Nascimento recognizes that he has significant unmet 
needs, but singled out just three that he would seek USG 
assistance on as soon as possible. 
 
-- Training for one or two intelligence analysts.  This training 
could be by an intelligence agency per se, but if that proves 
too sensitive a place to start, Nascimento would welcome 
training from the intelligence professionals of related 
disciplines and agencies (for example, DEA expertise in 
analyzing drug trafficking, or FinCen expertise in analyzing 
financial intelligence.) 
 
-- Training in combating high-tech crime, including cybercrime, 
identity theft, credit card fraud and other forms of financial 
crimes. 
 
-- Excess vehicles, preferably old, worn-out looking pickup or 
utility trucks.  Such vehicles would have many uses, he said, 
but would need to be inconspicuous. 
 
¶6. (C) Action Requested:  Post finds each of the above requests 
for assistance to be reasonable and well thought-out, and asks 
that appropriate Washington-based agencies consider what 
technical assistance might be available, whether from the IC or 
the law enforcement community more broadly, to assist Nascimento 
in standing up the SIR.  POC: Please contact Justin Davis 
(DavisJX@state.sgov.gov) Cape Verde Desk Officer at Dept of 
State Africa Bureau, Office of West African Affairs, or Parick 
Dunn, Charge d'Affaires a.i. at AmEmbassy Praia 
(dunnpm@state.sgov.gov), with any questions or proposals. 
 
 
DUNN