R 221441Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9058
INFO NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001005 
 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT RSHORE, NCTC, AND EUR/CE ASCHEIBE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS AEMR RO
SUBJECT:  ROMANIA:  2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: (A) STATE 124915; (B) STATE 124033; (C) STATE 120019 
 
 
¶1. This message contains Post's submission for the 2008 Country 
Reports on Terrorism. 
 
¶2. Begin text.  Romania provided throughout 2008 a full range of 
public and diplomatic support to counterterrorism efforts. 
Approximately 500 Romanian troops were serving in Iraq and 820 in 
Afghanistan as part of coalition and NATO Alliance efforts to combat 
terrorism and promote peace and stability.  The Romanian troops in 
Afghanistan, representing a 300-plus increase over 2007, 
demonstrated a significant and growing contribution to the efforts 
against international terrorism and in promotion of regional peace 
and security.  In June, the Supreme Council for National Defense 
(CSAT) confirmed Romania's commitment of troops deployed in Iraq and 
Afghanistan through 2009. Romania makes its airspace, ground 
infrastructure, and naval facilities available to U.S. and NATO 
forces.  Romania is an active participant in the Global Initiative 
to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. 
 
¶3. Romania implements the 13 International Conventions and Protocols 
on preventing and countering terrorism.  Romanian also ratified the 
European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, the Protocol 
amending the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, 
the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, and 
the Council of Europe Convention on laundering, search, seizure and 
confiscation of the proceeds from crime and on the financing of 
terrorism. 
 
¶4. The Romanian Government has comprehensive and robust internal 
mechanisms to combat terrorism, including the development of a 
"National Anti-Terrorism Strategy" and guidelines to prevent the use 
of Romanian financial institutions, including its banking system, 
for the purpose of financing terrorist-related activities.  The CSAT 
in 2008 updated the General Protocol for the National System for 
Preventing and Countering Terrorism (NSPCT) that was adapted in 
¶2002.  The Protocol empowered the Romanian Intelligence Service 
(SRI) as the national authority in the counter-terrorist field and 
the technical coordinator of the NSPCT. 
 
¶5. The SRI operates as the technical coordinator for 11 Ministries 
of the Romanian Government; three other special Services (the 
Foreign Intelligence Service, the Protection and Guard Service, and 
Special Telecommunications Service); three other governmental 
agencies (the National Agency for Export Controls, the National 
Committee for Control of Nuclear Activities, and the National Office 
for Prevention and Control of Money Laundering); the National Bank 
of Romania; and the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court 
of Cassation and Justice.  There are 54 prosecutors assigned to the 
Directorate to Investigate International Criminal Organizations and 
Terrorism. 
 
¶6. Bucharest is also the headquarters for the Southeast European 
Cooperation Initiative (SECI) Regional Center for Combating 
Transborder Crime (SECI Center), a regional center that provided law 
enforcement training and intelligence sharing on transborder 
criminal activities, including terrorist-related activities, for the 
12 member countries in South Eastern and Central Europe, including 
Romania.  The SECI Center's Anti-Terrorism task force, in which 
Romania participates, is chaired by Turkey. 
 
¶7. The High Court of Cassation of Justice reconfirmed in February 
2008 the 20-year prison sentence for Omar Hayssam who was convicted 
for terrorism in the 2004 kidnapping case of four Romanian 
journalists in Iraq (the Syrian-born, Romanian citizen Hayssam fled 
Romania following his conviction and remains at large). 
 
¶8. On April 21, 2008, the government adopted Emergency Ordinance 
(EO) number 53 per 2008 to amend the law 656 per 2002 to prevent and 
sanction money laundering and to introduce measures to prevent and 
combat terrorism financing. The EO was adopted to incorporate into 
Romanian legislation the Directive 2005/60/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the European Council of October 26, 2005, on the 
prevention of using the financial system for the purpose of money 
laundering or terrorism financing, and  two other related EC 
Directives (2006/70/EC of August 1, 2006, and 2005/60/EC). These 
Directives required action on the part of Romania following its 
January 2007 induction into the European Union.  EO 53 per 2008 took 
effect upon publication in the Official Gazette. 
 
¶9. Romania passed Law no. 112 on May 15, ratifying the September 
2007 Bucharest Protocol to the May 1999 Treaty between the United 
States of America and Romania on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal 
Matters.  The Protocol enhances mutual assistance, including mutual 
assistance on money laundering and terrorism matters.  The Protocol 
will enhance the already robust U.S. and Romania cooperation on 
counterterrorism law enforcement issues.  Notable cases of 
U.S.-Romania law enforcement cooperation in this area include the 
extradition of Tareq Al Ghazi and Luis Moreno to the United States 
to stand trial on terrorism and money laundering charges related to 
their efforts to sell weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC); significant assistance related to Viktor Bout - the 
renowned international arms trafficker known as the "Merchant of 
Death" who also agreed to sell weapons to the FARC; and in the case 
of Yeyha Ali Zeiter who was arrested on drug-related terrorism 
charges. 
 
¶10. On June 4, 2008, the government issued Executive Order 594/2008 
which approves the rules to enforce the provisions of the law 
656/2002 in conformity with EU regulations on preventing and 
sanctioning money laundering, as well as on establishing some 
measures to prevent and counter the financing of terrorist 
activities. 
 
¶11. On June 25, 2008, the National Securities Commission issued 
Order 83/2008 to institute measures to prevent and fight money 
laundering and terrorism financing via the capital market. The order 
was published in the Official Gazette 525 of July 11, 2008. 
 
¶12. The National Bank of Romania issued its own internal regulations 
regarding customer due diligence procedures in order to prevent 
money laundering and terrorism financing. The regulations were 
published in the Official Gazette on July 14, 2008. 
 
¶13. The Romanian Government's Emergency Decision no. 202/2008, which 
was published in the Official Gazette on December 8, 2008, provides 
a mechanism for the implementation of international sanctions to 
prevent and counter terrorism, including empowering the National 
Office for Prevention and Control of Money Laundering, reporting on 
suspicious transactions, blocking funds, and obliging institutions 
to conduct due diligence in establishing the bona fides of clients. 
 
¶14. On December 16, 2008, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest received 
through the local mail an envelope with a Texas postmark containing 
an unknown, suspicious white powder. The event was similar to others 
that occurred at several other U.S. Embassies within the same day. 
The SRI assisted the Embassy in sampling and analyzing the 
substance, which was determined to be non-lethal.  End text. 
 
¶15. POC for the terrorism report for Bucharest is Christopher Ellis. 
Tel. number is (40) (21) 200-3425 ext. 3425 and e-mail 
EllisCA2@state.gov. 
 
 
GUTHRIE-CORN