VZCZCXRO5536
OO RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHMC #0459/01 2881827
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141827Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL MONTERREY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3203
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO IMMEDIATE 4209
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHMC/AMCONSUL MONTERREY 8703

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000459 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC KCRM PINS SNAR MX
SUBJECT: OCTOBER 12 AMCONSULATE MONTERREY EAC MEETING 
 
REF: CONSULATE MONTERREY DS SPOT REPORTS 
 
MONTERREY 00000459  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.     (SBU)  The evening of October 12 post's Emergency Action 
Committee (EAC) met to review secure posture and preparations in 
light of the gunshot/grenade attack on the Consulate building 
midnight October 11.   While unknown assailants fired 6 to 10 
shots at the building and threw a grenade (which did not 
explode), no one was injured.   The grenade, which was 
discovered early the morning of October 12 in a subsequent 
daylight search of the grounds, did not detonate because the 
assailants did not remove the pin arming device.   In the 
October 12 EAC, DHS ICE Assistant Attache reported that he had 
detected persons unknown conducting surveillance of him that 
very morning as he departed the residence of the DHS ICE 
Representative. 
 
 
 
Greater Security Measures 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.     (SBU)  Meeting participants included CG, Acting RSO, DEA, 
DHS-ICE, ATF, OPAD, Legatt, IMO, PAO, and GSO.  Acting RSO 
related the steps already in train to bolster security at the 
Consulate, including redoubled police presence on the part of 
Nuevo Leon state, Monterrey city, and San Pedro city law 
enforcement.   (While the Consulate is not in San Pedro, that is 
the municipality where Consulate direct-hires reside.)  The City 
of San Pedro is also increasing police patrols near the 
residences of Consulate direct hires.   CG reported that the 
Governor of the State of Nuevo Leon had telephoned to offer any 
assistance that the Consulate might need in terms of security 
and investigation follow-up.  FBI and ATF briefed on evidence 
collection efforts to date, including examination and analysis 
of recovered shell casings and bullet fragments and impoundment 
of a suspect vehicle.  ATF stated that an AFI (Mexican federal 
law enforcement) canine bomb detection team would arrive from 
Mexico City to verify that there were no more explosive devices 
in the Consulate compound.  (This search was done later that 
evening and again repeated early the morning of October 13; 
results were negative.) 
 
 
 
Employee and Public Outreach 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.   (SBU)  CG described telephone outreach efforts already 
undertaken to inform Consulate employees of the incident, many 
of whom had traveled out of town for the holiday weekend.  A 
Country Team meeting was set for the morning of October 14, the 
first morning back at work, and Section/Agency supervisors 
agreed to meet with their employees early October 14 to brief 
them on events over the weekend.   A town hall meeting will take 
place later in the week.  Post released a press statement that 
night -- which was given prominent play in the October 13 
Monterrey morning newspapers -- and a warden message was sent 
out October 13. 
 
 
 
Next Steps in Terms of Physical and Personal Security 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
-------- 
 
¶4.   (SBU)   RSO personnel noted that given the assailant's 
approach to the premises, avoiding our video cameras, it 
appeared that they had conducted prior surveillance of their 
target.  EAC recommended increased activity on the part of our 
Surveillance Detection team.  EAC also undertook to come up with 
a package of physical security measures which could mitigate the 
impact of this type of attack in the future.  Most immediate 
items include wire mesh for the highway-side facade of the 
building to ensure that any future thrown grenade did not get 
trapped by the latticework, new mylar for windows, and spikes 
for the sub-standard fence.  Post will request immediate funding 
for these items from DS (approximately US$5,000 to US$8,000), 
with a request for another US$15,000 for additional measures in 
short order.  In addition, ATF stated that it would seek to 
advance the ATF Explosive Threat Vulnerability Assessment of the 
Consulate programmed for November 2008 to an earlier date. 
Construction of an anti-scale fence had already been scheduled 
for FY 09.   Given its location approximately 5 meters from a 
busy superhighway, however, Consulate building's main deficiency 
remains its glaring lack of setback.   The October 14 visit of 
 
MONTERREY 00000459  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Embassy Mexico RSO will prove helpful in integrating these 
various strands into an effective package. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU)   Overall, EAC members agreed upon the need to 
reinforce strong personal security practices on the part of 
Consulate direct-hires and LES.  Acting RSO reminded supervisors 
to stress the importance of varying routes and departure/arrival 
times, planning ahead, and being security-conscious. 
(Kidnappings for ransom have risen substantially during recent 
months).   EAC also discussed the need to review trip-wires in 
terms of the Consulate's overall presence. 
 
 
 
Possible Motives of the Assailants 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)    As no group or person had taken responsibility for 
the incident, EAC discussed possible motives behind the attack. 
EAC consensus was that it was in response to either USG, and/or 
specifically Consulate-initiated, anti-drug law enforcement 
efforts, and that the late-night timing and the manner of the 
attack (i.e., the failure to remain the pin from the grenade) 
was intended to send a message.  Post's law enforcement reps met 
with local contacts October 14 to begin sifting through this and 
other possible theories.  CG and law enforcement team plan to 
keep in close touch with federal (Monterrey-based), state, and 
local counterparts to emphasize the need for progress in the 
investigation of this incident.  A meeting with the Nuevo Leon 
state Attorney General is set for the afternoon of October 14. 
 
 
 
¶7.   (U)   Post will continue to monitor developments closely. 
WILLILAMSON