VZCZCXRO7412
OO RUEHDE
DE RUEHC #5626 2762019
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 022015Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI IMMEDIATE 2220
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 9117
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA IMMEDIATE 9826
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE 4638
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI IMMEDIATE 8015
INFO RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 6902
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER/WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DHS WASHINGTON DC/TSA NATIONAL HQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 105626 
 
SIPDIS, AMMAN FOR TSAR, FRANKFURT FOR TSAR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2018 
TAGS: ASEC EAIR KTER UA KU QA
SUBJECT: TSA REVIEW TEAMS VISITS 
 
Classified By: EEB/TRA/OTP, Office Director Daniel K. Moore.  Reasons 
1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action message.  Please see paragraph 2. 
 
¶2. (C) Summary and action request:  In response to the recent general 
increase in terrorist activity in the broader Middle East and South 
Asia, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to 
temporarily increase its monitoring and assessment outreach in 
Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, per normal procedures. 
TSA proposes to send four two-member teams for 10-14 days beginning 
October 4 to the international airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and 
Kuwait to review and assess security procedures for flights departing 
to and arriving from the United States.  TSA also plans to 
temporarily increase the number of Federal Air Marshals missions on 
U.S. carrier flights throughout the region.  Posts are asked to 
provide country clearances as requested via the e-country clearance 
channel.  In view of the current Eid holiday, posts are asked to 
assist and facilitate the TSA teams' work, especially in outreach to 
host country stakeholders.  End summary and action request. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following the recent bombings in Islamabad and Yemen, and 
the Department's September 23 travel alert for the Arabian Peninsula 
and Persian Gulf, TSA is proposing to temporarily increase its 
security monitoring activities in the Gulf region in accordance with 
International Civil Aviation Organization regulations and bilateral 
agreements with host governments.  Based on prior TSA assessments and 
scheduled air service to the United States, including by U.S. 
carriers, TSA proposes to send four two-person monitoring and 
assessment teams to the airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and 
Kuwait.  The teams, which will consist of TSA inspectors already 
familiar with the four airports, hope to spend 10 to 14 days 
observing the full spectrum of security measures related to the 
processing of flights to and from the United States.  The teams plan 
to arrive on or immediately after October 4. 
 
¶4. (U) These security assessments have not been prompted by any 
specific threat information and are meant to build on TSA's regular 
aviation security inspection process.  The teams will seek to meet 
with host country aviation security officials in the context of TSA's 
regular, on-going cooperation with local airport, airline and law 
enforcement partners.  In Doha and Abu Dhabi, the teams would welcome 
the opportunity to join host government officials in observing 
boarding and baggage loading procedures for some of the non-U.S. 
carrier flights to the United States. 
 
¶5. (C) During the teams' deployment, TSA's Washington-based regional 
manager will travel to Amman and Dubai to consult with TSA's regional 
representative in Amman and observe aviation security measures in the 
Amman airport.  The regional manager will then travel to Dubai to 
join the observer team and liaise with local counterparts.  In 
addition to the planned deployment of assessment teams, TSA will also 
increase Federal Air Marshall missions on U.S. carrier flights to and 
from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan.  This increased 
coverage will require that a Federal Air Marshals supervisor be 
temporarily based on site at all three locations for not more than 30 
days to facilitate these missions and work with embassy officials to 
support these missions. 
 
¶6. (U) Posts are asked to provide country clearance for the TSA 
teams, regional manager and FAM supervisors as requested via the 
e-country clearance channel.  In view of the current Eid holiday and 
anticipated reduced presence in government offices, posts are 
requested to assist and facilitate the teams' outreach to host 
country stakeholders. 
RICE