P 131721Z FEB 90
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8437

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 03111 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS: PTER UK
SUBJECT:  1989 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT FOR THE UK 
 
REF:  STATE 363024 
 
MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 1989 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶1.  THROUGHOUT 1989, AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE MOST 
SIGNIFICANT TERRORIST THREAT TO THE UK AND UK INTERESTS 
WERE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE OUTLAWED PROVISIONAL IRISH 
REPUBLICAN ARMY (PIRA) AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, THE 
ACTIVITIES OF OUTLAWED PROTESTANT TERRORIST GROUPS IN 
NORTHERN IRELAND.  THE CONFLICT IN NORTHERN IRELAND 
CAUSED THE DEATHS OF 62 PEOPLE  IN 1989, INCLUDING 14 
MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FORCES AND 9 POLICEMEN KILLED IN 
TERRORIST ATTACKS.  PIRA TERRORIST ATTACKS ON TARGETS IN 
BRITAIN AND IN MAINLAND EUROPE RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF 
AN ADDITIONAL FIFTEEN UK ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL OR THEIR 
FAMILY MEMBERS IN 1989. 
 
¶2.  HMG CONTINUED IN 1989 TO DEMAND INFORMATION FROM 
LIBYA ABOUT ITS SUPPORT FOR THE PIRA, INCLUDING 
DELIVERIES OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS OF EXPLOSIVES, 
ARMAMENTS, AND AMMUNITION IN LARGE QUANTITIES.  DESPITE 
CONTINUING OCCASIONAL CAPTURES OF PIRA ARMS AND SUPPLIES 
IN 1989, THE PIRA WAS BELIEVED STILL TO HAVE ENOUGH 
LIBYAN-SUPPLIED ARMS TO SUSTAIN ITS DESTRUCTIVE 
TERRORIST CAMPAIGN FOR AT LEAST A DECADE. 
 
¶3.  THE FATWA -- OR DEATH EDICT -- OF IRAN'S AYATOLLAH 
KHOMEINI AGAINST THE BRITISH AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE ON 14 
FEBRUARY 1989 LED TO WIDESPREAD PUBLIC DISTURBANCES 
AMONG ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES IN BRITAIN AND ABROAD.  THERE 
WERE SEVERAL INSTANCES OF BOMBINGS OF BOOKSTORES SELLING 
RUSHDIE'S BOOK "SATANIC VERSES."  THREATS AGAINST 
PUBLISHERS AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES REQUIRED POLICE 
PROTECTION.  UK AUTHORITIES ARRESTED AND DEPORTED 23 
IRANIANS ON NATIONAL SECURITY GROUNDS IN 1989. 
 
¶4.  BRITISH POLICE PROVIDED ROUND-THE-CLOCK PROTECTION 
FOR SALMAN RUSHDIE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF 1989 TO 
PREVENT HIS MURDER BY MUSLIM FANATICS WHO MIGHT SEEK TO 
CARRY OUT THE "SENTENCE OF DEATH" AGAINST THE AUTHOR. 
HMG OFFICIALS REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR IN PUBLIC STATEMENTS 
TO IRANIAN AUTHORITIES THAT THE UK HELD IRAN DIRECTLY 
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN AGAINST BRITISH OR 
OTHER NATIONALS AS A RESULT OF THE FATWA. 
 
¶5.  UK AUTHORITIES CONTINUED IN 1989 TO INVESTIGATE THE 
BOMBING OF PAN AMERICAN FLIGHT 103 OVER LOCKERBIE, 
SCOTLAND IN DECEMBER 1988.  THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN 
EXTREMELY FAR-REACHING AND COSTLY BUT HAS RESULTED IN 
CONSIDERABLE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF 
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT AND IN 
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN AVIATION SECURITY SYSTEMS 
AND PROCEDURES.  UK INVESTIGATORS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY ON 
THE CASE WITH CRIMINAL SPECIALISTS AND FORENSIC 
SCIENTISTS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE FRG, AND OTHER 
CONCERNED COUNTRIES.  BRITAIN SHARES A POSITION OF 
LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD-WIDE EFFORT TO CONCLUDE NEW 
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON AVIATION SECURITY, CONTROL 
OF EXPLOSIVES, AND THE SHARING OF INFORMATION AND 
TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT TERRORIST THREATS TO CIVIL AVIATION. 
 
¶6.  THE UK PROVIDES TRAINING, ADVICE, AND MATERIAL 
ASSISTANCE TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO ASSIST THEIR OWN 
EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORIST THREATS. 
 
¶7.  THE UK IS ACTIVE IN THE UN, THE EC, AND OTHER 
INTERNATIONAL FORA IN EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORISM AND 
PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN EFFORTS 
TO ISOLATE AND PENALIZE COUNTRIES WHICH SUPPORT TERRORISM. 
 
RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM 
------------------------------- 
¶8.  UK COURTS IN BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND CONTINUED 
IN 1989 TO PROSECUTE CASES AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE PIRA 
AND OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THE 
DISTURBANCES IN NORTHERN IRELAND. 
 
¶9.  BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT THREAT OF PIRA TERRORIST 
ATTACKS IN THE UK, BRITAIN CONTINUED IN 1989 TO EXERCISE 
THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS OF LAW CONTAINED IN THE 1984 
PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT.  THE ACT, AMONG ITS OTHER 
ELEMENTS, ENABLES SPECIAL COURTS TO OPERATE IN NORTHERN 
IRELAND DESPITE THE PERSISTENT THREAT OF PIRA TERRORISM 
AGAINST JUDGES AND JURIES. 
 
¶10.  THERE ARE OUTSTANDING UK ARREST WARRANTS AGAINST 
PIRA TERRORISTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND SEVERAL 
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.  UK AUTHORITIES CONTINUED IN 1989 TO 
COOPERATE CLOSELY WITH OFFICIALS IN IRELAND, BELGIUM, 
THE NETHERLANDS, THE FRG, FRANCE, AND OTHER COUNTRIES 
DEALING WITH INCIDENTS OF PIRA TERRORISM AND ATTEMPTING 
TO ARRANGE EXTRADITION OF PIRA MEMBERS WANTED FOR 
TERRORIST ATTACKS. 
 
CATTO