VZCZCXYZ0001 
OO RUEHWEB 

DE RUEHDK #0035 0131843 
ZNR UUUUU ZZH 
O 131843Z JAN 09 
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1683

UNCLAS DAKAR 000035 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KDRM KHLS AEMR SG
SUBJECT: 2008 Country Reports on Terrorism: Senegal 
 
REF: 08 STATE 120019 
 
¶1. The following narrative is Posts submission for the 2008 
Country Report on Terrorism (CRT): 
 
Senegal 
 
The Government of Senegal cooperated with the Untied States in 
identifying terrorist groups operating in Senegal. More work 
remained to be done, however, to develop first responder services, 
to facilitate the quick sharing of information between agencies, and 
to control porous borders where police and security services are 
undermanned and ill-equipped to prevent illicit cross-border 
trafficking. The Government of Senegal affirmed its commitment to 
the United States government-assisted efforts to augment its border 
security. 
 
Senegal continues to enhance its ability to combat terrorism, 
prosecute terror suspects, and respond to emergencies. Despite 
advances, however, Senegal lacked specific counterterrorism 
legislation and current laws made it difficult to prosecute terror 
suspects. As participants in the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism 
Partnership, more than 318 Senegalese government officials 
participated in ATA programs. Senegalese military officials 
attended a counterterrorism seminar and a Directors of Military 
Intelligence conference. The Defense International Institute of 
Legal Studies, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Treasury's Office 
Technical Assistance, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC) gave separate seminars on the legal aspects of 
fighting terrorism. 
 
The Government of Senegal did not provide safe haven for terrorists 
or terrorist organizations, although terrorists were known to pass 
through the country. The Government has not significantly improved 
border controls since two Mauritanians who claimed to be members of 
Al-Qaeda and who were involved in the December 2007 murder of four 
French tourists in Aleg, Mauritania successfully traveled through 
Senegal before being captured in a hotel in Guinea Bissau by 
Bissau-Guinean police aided by French authorities on January 12. 
The Mauritanians were able to cross four Senegalese borders without 
being stopped by Senegalese authorities. This event demonstrates 
Senegal's porous borders and lack of capacity to effectively 
identify and combat terrorists threats and the need for further 
training. Moreover, it is suspected that Hezbollah uses the 
Lebanese community Senegal as a major source of financing. 
 
 
BERNICAT