VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #0152/01 0462106
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 152106Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5965
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0430
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2259
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0180
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0129
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000152 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/CT - ROOPA RANGASWAMY, DARCY ANDERSON 
WHA/CAR - JOE TILGHMAN 
USUN FOR JAMES DONOVAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018 
TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC SNAR EWWT EIND MASS DHS JA
JM, XL 
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: CTED FACT-FINDING MISSION PRESENTS 
OUTBRIEF DURING LOCAL CTAG MEETING 
 
REF: KINGSTON 104 (011914Z FEB 08)(NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: DCM JAMES T. HEG, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
Summary and Guidance Requested 
------------------------------- 
 
1.(C)  Implementation of the Container Security Initiative 
(CSI) and enactment of the Proceeds of Crime Act are among 
the more encouraging counterterrorism (CT) developments in 
Jamaica; however, weak border controls, the vulnerability of 
the cruise ship industry, and pervasive corruption and crime 
are ongoing problem areas.  These were among the preliminary 
findings outlined by the Counterterrorism Committee Executive 
Directorate (CTED)'s fact-finding mission to Jamaica during a 
meeting of the local Counterterrorism Action Group (CTAG) 
hosted on February 14 by the Embassy. CTAG members shared 
views and assessments regarding ongoing and planned CT and 
security-related assistance to Jamaica. 
 
2.(C)  Post requests that Department provide guidance as to 
the appropriate response to the Russian Embassy's proposal 
for a joint approach to the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) 
regarding the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism 
which was agreed jointly by President Putin and President 
Bush in July, 2006 at the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg (para. 
15). 
End Summary and Guidance Requested. 
 
3.(C)  Per Reftel, Embassy hosted a meeting of the local 
Counterterrorism Action Group (CTAG) on the afternoon of 
February 14.  Ambassador, DCM, and EmbOffs welcomed the 
following: 
 
-- Mr. Weixiong Chen, Chief of Branch, U.N. Counter-Terrorism 
Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), and CTED Legal 
Officer Mr. Kiho Cha; 
-- Counselor Blair Bobyck of the Canadian High Commission 
-- Third Secretary Marcel Consten of the German Embassy 
-- Counselor Yoshiyuki Isoda of the Japanese Embassy 
-- Ambassador Victor Zotin and Counselor Alexi Salgychev of 
the Russian Embassy 
-- First Secretary Martin Fidler of the UK High Commission 
-- Deputy Chief of Mission Ignacio Sanchez of the Spanish 
Embassy 
-- First Secretary Carlo Pettinato of the EC Delegation 
-- Assistant Resident Representative David Smith of the UNDP 
 
4.(C)  Mr. Chen began by noting that the Government of 
Jamaica (GoJ) was aware of the threat of terrorism because of 
the vulnerability of the vital cruise ship industry and 
because Jamaica's high crime rate and arms-for-drugs trade 
compelled officials to take all aspects of national security 
quite seriously.  He said the recently completed green paper 
delineating the National Security Strategy was impressive, 
and included a counterterrorism (CT) component.  Jamaica had 
good comprehensive legislation in place; Barbados and 
Trinidad were the only countries in the region which were as 
far along. 
 
5.(C)  In the area of law enforcement, Chen called the 
Container Security Initiative (CSI) project "splendid." 
Jamaica still had real problems with border control, and some 
of its pre-independence immigration legislation was outdated. 
 The GoJ had a good record with respect to ratification of CT 
instruments; only three of the fourteen countries in the 
region had better records.  Recovery of small arms and 
ammunition was a serious challenge.  Drug and arms 
traffickers in Central America continued to use Jamaica as a 
transit point, the guns-for-drugs trade with Haiti was a 
serious problem, and the GoJ needed additional equipment.  On 
the whole, CT was not as high a priority for the GoJ as 
crime; to date, no terrorism cases had come to light.  The 
Financial Investigations Division (FID) of the National 
Security Council was a particularly high priority for the 
GoJ.  CTED was interested in seeing what the GoJ could do to 
assist smaller countries in the region enhance their security. 
 
6.(C)  Mr. Chan said that Jamaica had made good progress in 
CT on the legal front.  The Proceeds of Crime Act had made 
financing terrorism a criminal offense.  However, the 
 
requirements to report suspicious transactions were limited 
to formal financial institutions, and did not extend to the 
informal financial sector.  The reporting threshold had been 
lowered from USD 50,000 to 15,000, which had increased the 
caseload for the FID.  The Terrorism Prevention Act was 
helpful, but the GoJ maintained that direct freezing of 
assets would be difficult because of constitutional 
constraints.  In response to CTED's inquiries, the GoJ had 
maintained that the massive flow of remittances from the 
Jamaican diaspora in North America and the UK came entirely 
through conventional wire transfers, and that there was no 
alternative remittance system in place.  Mr. Chan questioned 
this, and noted that, during its visit in October, 2005, the 
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) had found that 
50 percent of all transactions in Jamaica were in cash; 
therefore, the country was inherently vulnerable to various 
illicit activities, including alternative remittance 
transfers. 
 
7.(C)   Mr. Chan noted that the mandate of the CTED 
fact-finding mission had not included assessment of the 
implementation of border enforcement.  However, it was clear 
that the GoJ needed further maritime, aviation, and customs 
training.  The GoJ had provided the CTED mission a 
preliminary list of technical assistance needed, broken down 
and prioritized in 8 headings: 
 
-- Financial Investigation Division 
-- Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) 
-- Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) 
-- Port Authority of Jamaica 
-- Maritime Authority of Jamaica 
-- Customs 
-- Ministry of National Security 
-- Passport, Immigration, and Citizenship Agency 
 
8.(C)  Mr. Chan said CTED encouraged regional horizontal 
assistance.  For example, the GoJ had indicated it would be 
willing to assist other states in the region in drafting CT 
legislation, if donor funding could be provided.  With 
respect to UNSCRs 1573, 1267, and 1540, Mr. Chan noted that 
Jamaica had been among the countries in the region which had 
complained about the burden of report submissions; many 
countries in the region did not have the necessary resources 
or expertise to prepare reports.  Canada had provided a 
consultant to assist with preparation of reports, and CTED 
had identified nine countries which would benefit from 
his/her services.  When the mission returned to New York, 
CTED may convene a larger conference of donors to the region 
and attempt to identify one or two critical areas on which to 
focus, e.g., maritime security. 
 
9.(C)  CTAG members then raised questions and made 
observations in response to the CTED mission's preliminary 
debrief.  EmbOff inquired about the GoJ,s contention that 
constitutional restrictions prevented the direct seizure of 
assets;  Mr. Chan noted that the GoJ had taken this position 
for several years, but had not provided a detailed 
explanation.  Mr. Fidler observed that, after 17 years, with 
a new Jamaican Government in place which appeared serious 
about improving national security, now was the time for CTAG 
and CTED to press the GoJ on crime, corruption, CT, and law 
enforcement issues.  On this point, there was general 
agreement among CTED and CTAG members. 
 
10.(C)  Mr. Chan said that, in discussions with the GoJ, he 
had emphasized the collateral benefits of compliance with 
UNSCR 1573, i.e., combating crime as well as terrorism.  Mr. 
Smith agreed that donors should emphasize crime first, and 
thus get traction in CT.  He noted that the ease with which 
official documents could be obtained in Jamaica was 
disturbing.  Also, a number of criminal deportees returned to 
Jamaica from the UK and North America had converted to Islam 
while in prison; some were now involved in the illegal drugs 
trade.  He noted that the Alien Act and Deportation Act 
included no special provisions regarding terrorism. 
 
11.(C)  DCM observed that, while the leaders of the new 
Jamaican Government were serious about combating crime and 
corruption, most of the entrenched bureaucracy within the GoJ 
remained in place; this made progress difficult in a number 
 
of areas, including crime and CT.  EmbOff noted that the 
alternative investment schemes which the GoJ was now 
attempting to bring under the regulatory control of its 
financial authorities could easily be involved in illicit 
activities. 
 
12.(C)  DCM then asked CTAG members to briefly describe their 
respective CT-or security-related programs and activities in 
Jamaica.  EmbOffs outlined recent CT-or security-related 
training and equipment provided through the Mission's 
Regional Security Office, Narcotics Affairs Section, and 
Military Liaison Office, to include: 
 
-- CSI, which was moving ahead on a more permanent basis 
--&Security at Major Events8 training prior to last year's 
Cricket World Cup 
-- WMD training 
-- establishment of Airport Interdiction Task Force 
-- computerized entry/exit system for immigration 
-- surveillance equipment 
-- vessels, equipment, weapons, and ammunition provided 
through FMF to the Jamaica Defense Force and Air Wing 
-- various training under IMET 
 
13.(C) Messrs. Fidler and Bobyk outlined the programs of the 
UK and Canada, respectively, to include: 
 
-- assistance with development of Jamaica's National Security 
Strategy 
-- CT preparations for Cricket World Cup, to include 
establishment of the regional intelligence fusion center in 
Port-of-Spain 
-- training of 200 border enforcement personnel 
-- polygraph training 
-- construction of the Caribbean CT Center in Kingston 
(scheduled for late ,08) 
-- UNSCR 1540 workshop 
-- training for FID 
-- computer forensics and data mining training 
-- five UK police officers currently serving in the JCF 
 
14.(C)  Ambassador Zotin said that the Russian Embassy's 
involvement with CT and security in Jamaica had been limited, 
and noted that the GoJ seemed much more preoccupied with 
crime than CT.  However, Russia would be prepared to assist 
Jamaica if asked.  Mr. Isoda noted that Japan's CT assistance 
was focused primarily in Asia, but that Japan contributed 
through various capacity-building programs in the Caribbean. 
Mr. Sanchez noted that Spain had assisted with the CT 
preparations for Cricket World Cup.  Mr. Pettinato said that 
the EU traditionally had not been involved in 
security-related programs, but that it now was prepared to 
provide policy-based assistance and to fund some smaller 
projects with the police.  Mr. Consten said the GoJ recently 
had approached the German Embassy with a list of equipment 
needs; other CTAG members confirmed that they had received 
similar approaches, and that coordination would be needed to 
avoid duplication of assistance efforts. 
 
15.(C)  Ambassador Zotin concluded by noting that the Russian 
Embassy had approached the GoJ's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) several times regarding the Global 
Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism which had been agreed 
jointly by President Putin and President Bush in July, 2006 
at the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg, but that the MFAFT had 
shown no interest.  Zotin asked if the U.S. Embassy would be 
interested in making a joint approach to the GoJ; DCM replied 
that we would let Washington know and request guidance. 
JOHNSON