VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #5026/01 3601455
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261455Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1271
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 5645
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0916
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 4759

UNCLAS AMMAN 005026 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP AMGT OTRA ASEC AFIN JO
SUBJECT: WELCOME CODEL SCHUMER 
 
REF:  STATE 166701 
 
¶1. (SBU) Embassy Amman warmly welcomes the visit of CODEL 
Schumer to Jordan from December 29, 2007 thru January 2, 2008, 
as requested reftel.  The travelers should carefully review 
this message, especially the threat assessment at paragraph 
¶9. 
 
¶2.  On October 1, 2007, the Department of State electronic 
country clearance (eCC) application was deployed for all 
U.S. Government travelers.  eCC is the official channel to 
request country clearance.  All agencies and visitors are 
requested to use eCC to request country clearance in the 
future. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Control officer for this visit is Political 
Counselor David Greene.  Contact information is as follows: 
962-6-590-6591/6880 (office); 962-6-592-0159 (fax); 962-6- 
592-1069 (home); 962-79-522-0909 (mobile); and 
GreeneDJ@state.gov.  The Embassy's after-hours telephone 
number is +962-6-590-6500. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Hotel reservations have been made at the Marriott 
Amman, phone 962-6-560-7607 and fax 962-6-567-0100.  Cost 
is at a rate within per diem; breakfast is included in the 
room rate.  Due to security concerns in Jordan (paragraph 
8), TDY personnel are assigned hotels on a rotational 
basis.  Therefore, Embassy Amman will make the final 
decision on hotel accommodations for all visitors.  The 
Embassy will provide expeditor assistance upon arrival and 
departure. 
 
¶5. (U) Valid visas are required for entry into Jordan. 
Visas may be obtained at Queen Alia airport though not at 
all land border crossings; however, Embassy Amman suggests 
visitors obtain their visas prior to arrival, as there can 
be long queues for visa issuance at the airport.  Money can 
be exchanged at Queen Alia airport or in the delegation?s 
control room. 
 
¶6. (U) Action request: Each visitor, regardless of length 
of stay, must bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct 
costs of the visit.  Each agency, organization or visiting 
delegation will be charged for the actual costs attributed 
to its visit.  Direct charge costs include, but are not 
limited to:  American and LES overtime (for such services 
as airport expediting, cashier accommodation exchange, 
control room staffing, representational event support), 
travel and per diem costs incurred by post personnel in 
support of visitor?s field travel, rental of vehicles and 
other equipment, long distance telephone calls, office 
supplies, gasoline and other vehicle maintenance costs, 
departure tax and other airport fees.  Post will not 
provide service if fiscal data is not provided for the 
direct charges.  For TDYers remaining at post over 30 days, 
there is a charge for ICASS support services.  This charge 
is for the following ICASS services:  Basic Package, CLO 
and Health Services.  Agencies will not be billed until the 
accumulated invoice cost for TDY support exceeds $2,500 for 
the fiscal year.  If your sponsoring agency is not signed 
up for ICASS services at post, please be prepared to sign a 
Memorandum of Understanding for ICASS support services upon 
arrival.  The agency should provide post with a written 
communication, generated by the traveler?s headquarters, 
that confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges for the 
TDYer, provides the agency ICASS billing code the TDY 
support charges should be applied to, and authorizes the 
traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY 
module.  Where travel is urgent, the TDYer should bring 
this documentation with him/her to ensure there are no 
interruptions in the provision of service.  Post will not 
provide any service to a TDYer staying in excess of thirty 
days without provision of this documentation before day 31 
of the TDY. 
 
¶7. (U) HEALTH:  H5N1 avian flu was confirmed in poultry in 
Jordan in March 2006, and in the same month, the Government 
of Jordan confirmed a human case of H5N1 avian flu in a 
person who was infected in Egypt and traveled to Jordan 
while sick.  The World Health Organization declared Jordan 
to be free of avian flu in May 2006.  There have been no 
confirmed cases of avian flu in people or birds in Jordan 
since the summer of 2006.  Further cases of avian flu in 
both people and birds in Jordan remain possible.  For this 
reason and for normal health precautions, visitors are 
encouraged to avoid live poultry, poultry farms, and any 
dead birds.  Visitors should use hand sanitizer and wash 
hands frequently.  Travelers should also patronize 
restaurants having high standards for food safety and 
hygiene, and ask that poultry and egg products be cooked 
thoroughly. 
 
Although Jordan does not pose any unusual health hazards 
for visitors, the quality of health care facilities is not 
up to the U.S. or European standards, particularly outside 
of Amman.  As medications on the local economy are often in 
short supply, visitors should bring sufficient medications 
to post for their chronic medical problems.  Immunizations 
should be current for Tetanus and Diphtheria, Hepatitis A 
and B.  Visitors should drink bottled water rather than tap 
water.  Food in the hotels and most restaurants is safe to 
eat, but some of the smaller local restaurants do not 
always observe proper food handling procedures. 
 
Only those personnel covered under the State Department's 
medical program and who have a valid medical clearance for 
Jordan are eligible for a medical evacuation at USG cost. 
All other visitors are advised to have their own medical 
evacuation insurance to cover evacuation by air ambulance. 
Otherwise it will be necessary to ensure that the 
respective agency will cover any costs related to a medical 
evacuation.  All local hospitals take major credit cards. 
 
¶8. (U) SECURITY CLEARANCE AND BUILDING ACCESS: In 
compliance with State Department regulations and Embassy 
policies, visitors requesting unescorted access to the 
Embassy compound should inform RSO Amman of their security 
clearance level (if any) and should name the agency that 
granted that clearance.  Telegrams containing this 
information should include the ?ASEC? tag to ensure 
distribution to the RSO. 
 
Electronic devices:  RSO approval must be obtained before 
any electronic device is brought into the Embassy. 
Privately owned laptops and personal computers, 
peripherals, diskettes, and tapes are prohibited in all 
mission facilities.  Cellular/mobile phones and palm pilots 
are prohibited in controlled access areas. 
 
Travelers with USG-owned unclassified laptops or notebook 
computers, peripherals, diskettes, and tapes must receive 
RSO/IMO authorization before being granted access to U.S. 
Mission buildings.  USG-owned classified computers must be 
sent to post via classified diplomatic pouch.  Classified 
equipment must bear external USG bar-code inventory numbers 
and classification markings commensurate with the highest 
level of information processed on the system.  Questions 
concerning other types of electronic devices and magnetic 
media may be directed to the RSO and IMO. 
 
Mandatory personal security training:  Per 04 STATE 66580, 
all employees traveling to post for 30 days or more 
(whether PCS or TDY) must have completed the mandatory 
personal security training (State Department Security 
Overseas Seminar or equivalent) before arriving at post. 
Agencies must provide the Chief of Mission with 
certification that this training will be completed prior to 
the employee?s travel.  Failure to do so will result in 
denial of country clearance. 
 
¶9. (U) THREAT ASSESSMENT: The threat of terrorism remains 
high in Jordan.  Transnational terrorist groups, as well as 
less sophisticated local elements, have demonstrated the 
capability to pose threats in Jordan.  The Al-Qaida in Iraq 
network is of particular concern for terrorist activities 
against U.S. and Government of Jordan (GOJ) targets in 
Jordan.  The Al-Qaida in Iraq network claimed 
responsibility for the November 9, 2005 bombings of three 
international hotels in Amman, which killed 60 people and 
injured over 100.  Pedestrian suicide bombers wearing 
explosive vests carried the bombs into the hotels.  Al- 
Qaida in Iraq also claimed responsibility for the Aqaba 
rocket attacks on August 19, 2005 targeting a U.S. naval 
ship, which killed one Jordanian soldier and wounded 
another.  The assassination of American diplomat Larry 
Foley outside his west Amman residence on October 28, 2002 
was also attributed to Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab 
Al-Zarqawi, who was killed in Iraq in June 2006. 
 
In addition, there has been a series of confirmed terrorist 
threats and disrupted terrorist plots targeting U.S. or 
Jordanian interests in Jordan.  In November 2006, the GOJ 
arrested four men who were planning to use a taxi cab to 
identify and assassinate an American.  In the same month, 
the GOJ arrested three men who were reportedly plotting to 
attack the U.S. Embassy and assassinate President Bush 
during his visit to Jordan.  In February 2006, the GOJ 
disrupted a terrorist cell plotting to attack Queen Alia 
International Airport.  In November 2005, the GOJ indicted 
six men for planning to carry out attacks against Americans 
at hotels and bars in Amman and Aqaba.  In August-September 
2005, four militants were arrested for plotting 
assassinations of Americans in Jordan.  In July 2005, GOJ 
authorities arrested 17 men who had planned to assassinate 
GOJ officials and Americans in Jordan; the group was 
reportedly linked to Al-Qaida in Iraq.  In February 2005, 
four men were arrested for plotting attacks against GOJ 
officials, tourists and five-star hotels.  In the same 
month, another group was disrupted while plotting to attack 
liquor stores in Amman and foreign tourists in Aqaba. 
 
Terrorists often do not distinguish between U.S. government 
personnel and private citizens.  Terrorists may target 
areas frequented by Westerners, such as tourist sites, 
hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, liquor stores, 
shopping malls, transportation hubs, places of worship, 
expatriate residential areas, and schools.  In light of 
these security concerns, U.S. citizens are urged to 
maintain a high level of vigilance, to be aware of their 
surroundings, and to take appropriate steps to increase 
their security awareness.  It is especially important for 
travelers to be unpredictable by varying their times and 
routes and to maintain a low profile.  Moreover, U.S. 
citizens are urged to avoid contact with any suspicious or 
unfamiliar objects and to immediately report the presence 
of such objects to the authorities. U.S. Government 
personnel overseas have been advised to take the same 
precautions. 
 
Anti-American and anti-Western sentiment exists in Jordan 
and has been sparked on occasion by incidents in the 
region, particularly those related to Israeli/Palestinian 
issues and, to a lesser extent, Iraq.  This may lead to 
random acts of violence against Westerners.  On September 
4, 2006, a gunman fired on foreigners at a popular tourist 
site in central Amman, killing one and injuring six. 
 
Travelers are advised to avoid any demonstrations or large 
gatherings of people.  Many demonstrations occur near 
mosques after Friday prayers.  Consequently, special 
sensitivity and caution should be exercised at or near 
mosques and religious sites during holy days and the Friday 
Muslim Sabbath.  Demonstrations also often take place at 
universities and refugee camps. 
 
Crime is generally not a serious problem for travelers in 
Jordan, but petty crime is prevalent in the downtown Amman 
Hashimiyah Square area and near the Roman Amphitheater.  In 
the narrow streets of the older parts of the city center, 
crowded conditions invite pickpockets and other petty 
criminals.  Travelers are urged to be more guarded in these 
areas so that they do not present easy opportunities for 
criminals. 
 
In central and west Amman, there have been reports of 
thieves snatching pedestrians? purses from moving vehicles 
and then driving off.  In some instances, victims were 
injured when they were unable to free themselves from their 
purses.  When carrying a purse, it would be wise to conceal 
it if possible, to avoid walking near the road within reach 
of passing vehicles, and to walk against the flow of 
traffic. 
 
Jordanian police have warned the public to exercise 
vigilance when leaving banks or ATM machines, as thieves 
have reportedly preyed upon persons soon after using these 
services. 
 
Western women both visiting and residing in Jordan report 
sexual harassment, stalking, and unwelcome advances of a 
sexual nature; there have been isolated reports of assault. 
Women are advised to take reasonable precautions including 
dressing conservatively and not traveling alone.  Modest 
attire should be worn in deference to local custom. 
 
¶10. (U) TRAVEL GUIDELINES: American citizens and official 
visitors traveling in Jordan should exercise caution, be 
alert, and stay informed of regional and local events that 
could quickly impact the security environment in the 
country.  It is also recommended to maintain a low profile 
and not establish predictable patterns of movement, even if 
only visiting for a short period.  Yellow taxis are widely 
used throughout the country and for the most part without 
adverse incidents occurring.  Still, there have been 
confirmed reports of single females being assaulted or 
verbally harassed by taxi drivers.  The Embassy Internet 
website has a list of radio controlled taxi companies that 
the Government of Jordan has advised us vet their drivers 
at: 
http://amman.usembassy.gov/int_dev/Pa_amman/d ocs/ 
taxi_list.pdf 
 
For further information, see the State Department's 
Consular Information Sheet for Jordan at: 
 
http:// www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/ 
cis_1149.html 
 
and link from that site to the most recent Public 
Announcements on Travel in the Middle East and South Asia 
and the most recent Worldwide Caution. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
HALE