R 111638Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5707

S E C R E T BERN 000109 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2019 
TAGS: ASEC PTER SV
SUBJECT: BERN SEPQ MARCH 2009 
 
REF: STATE 13023 
 
Classified By: RSO BRIAN C. MURPHY FOR REASON 1.5d 
 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) The following are responses to the Security 
Environment Profile Questionnaire for political violence and 
terrorism for the U.S. Embassy in Bern, and are keyed to 
the reftel. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Political Violence 
-------------------------- 
¶I. (SBU) Demonstrations 
 
¶A. Are there any ethnic or religious communities in Bern 
prone to carrying out significant anti-American 
demonstrations? 
 
Response: There are ethnic or religious communities within 
Switzerland that are capable of carrying out significant 
anti-American demonstrations. 
 
i. Have there been anti-American demonstrations in the 
country within the last 12 months? 
 
Response: Yes.  There was one small Anti-American 
demonstration carried out by local left wing groups 
protesting U.S. role in the world economic crisis. 
 
ii. Have anti-American demonstrations taken place near or in 
front of U.S. diplomatic facilities? 
 
Response:  Yes.  The demonstration mentioned above was at the 
U.S. Embassy 
 
iii. What is the average size of an anti-American 
demonstration? 
 
Response: 45-55 
 
iv. Are anti-American demonstrations usually triggered by 
U.S. Foreign policy initiatives, military actions, or by 
domestic issues? 
 
Response: Anti-American demonstrations can be triggered by 
U.S foreign policy initiatives,  military actions or domestic 
issues such as the economic crisis. 
 
¶B. Are demonstrations generally violent or peaceful? 
 
Response: In general demonstrations are peaceful however the 
one mentioned above involved the throwing of rocks and ice 
and use of pyrotechnics (smoke bombs). 
 
i. Have violent demonstrations resulted in damage to  USG 
property or injuries to USG employees? 
 
Response: There have been no reports of damage to USG 
property or injuries to USG employees during 2008. 
 
ii. Have violent demonstrators ever penetrated your perimeter 
security line? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶C. Have any anti-government demonstrations taken place in the 
country within the last 12 months? 
 
Response: In 2008 there have been anti-government 
demonstrations. Demonstrations have also targeted the United 
Nations, to include other Missions, the World Trade 
Organization, World Economic Forum, and other International 
Organizations within Geneva. . 
 
i. Have any anti-government demonstrations taken place near 
or in front of U.S. diplomatic facilities? 
 
Response: No. 
 
ii. What is the average size of an anti-government 
demonstration? 
 
Response: The anti-Swiss government demonstrations have been 
between 100 and 300 participants. 
 
iii. Are demonstrations generally violent or peaceful? 
 
Response: Demonstrations are normally peaceful, however there 
are occasions when private property is damaged through 
violence, vandalism, and graffiti. 
 
iv. Have any demonstrations resulted in damage to USG 
property? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Macro Conflict Conditions: 
 
¶A. Is the host country engaged in an interstate or intrastate 
conflict? 
 
Response: There are no known interstate or intrastate 
conflicts within Switzerland/ 
 
¶4. (S/NF) Host Country Capabilities: 
 
¶A. Are law enforcement agencies professional and well trained? 
 
Response: Federal and local (Cantons Vaud and Geneva) police 
authorities are trained and considered professional. 
 
¶B. Have they been trained by U.S. agencies? 
 
Response: Host Government law enforcement authorities  are 
not trained by the United States. 
 
¶C. Are law enforcement agencies confronted with serious, 
widespread corruption inside their agencies? 
 
Response: The police and the legal system are considered to 
be trustworthy and not subject to widespread corruption. 
However the police report to be powerless against the 
professional criminal and blame the judicial system for 
tieing their hands. 
 
¶D. Are the intelligence services professional and capable of 
deterring terrorist actions? 
 
Response: Swiss Intelligence Services are considered to be 
professional, but staffed with only 300 people, their primary 
mission deals with counterintelligence issues. 
 
¶E. Have the intelligence services been cooperative with U.S. 
Embassy requests for information and support? 
 
Response:  Swiss intelligence Services have been generally 
cooperative in handling requests for information and support 
but Swiss privacy laws are very strict and these laws 
definitely affect the ease of gaining information. 
 
¶F. Assuming there have been significant terrorist threats in 
recent years, have host country security services been able 
to score any major anti-terrorism successes? 
 
Response: On February 28 2007, the 7 individuals who were 
originally arrested by Swiss authorities for providing 
logistical support for the Al-Qaeda terror network were all 
acquitted in Swiss Federal court. There is currently no law 
in Switzerland prohibiting membership in Al-Qaeda. 
 
Swiss authorities cooperated with Italian officials in 
arresting a Tunisian national for operating websites that 
supported extremist Islamic groups.  On June 21 2007, this 
individual was sentenced to two years in prison (but with 18 
months suspended sentence). 
 
On June 20 2007, a Belgium female and her Tunisian husband - 
who held a Swiss residency permit - received a light 
suspended sentence for inciting hatred and jihad on the 
internet.  Shortly thereafter, they moved to Belgium without 
serving their sentences. 
 
In 2007, Swiss Parliament began the ratification process of 
the Operative Working Agreement (OWA), which is supposed to 
regulate cooperation for legal assistance between the US and 
Switzerland in prosecuting terrorists.  The OWA, which was 
signed by law enforcement representatives of Switzerland and 
the US in July 2006, has its origins in cooperative efforts 
between Switzerland and the US since the September 11,  2001 
terrorist attacks. 
 
In July 2007, the Algerian, who was suspected of plotting an 
attack on an Israeli airliner in Switzerland a year earlier, 
was deported back to Algeria. 
 
¶G. Has host country been responsive to U.S. Embassy requests 
for protective security? 
 
Response: The host country has been generally responsive to 
requests for protective security.  Several requests for 
support have been declined and or are met with the very 
minimum support level.  The Swiss will not provide the 
details of their support prior to the event, but assure the 
Mission that it will be at the appropriate level.    Several 
cabinet members that receive U.S. security details are not 
granted security details in Switzerland.  Including the U.S. 
Trade Representative and the National Security Advisor. 
 
¶H. How does the Embassy assess the overall security at major 
airports in the country. 
 
Response: Overall security at Geneva's airport is considered 
excellent. 
 
¶I. How effective are customs and immigration control agencies? 
Response: Swiss customs and immigration are somewhat 
effective. The Swiss border guards are the armed service of 
the federal guards that work at 91 fixed locations and in 35 
mobile units along Switzerland's 1,881 kilometers of border. 
With the Swiss government coming to an agreement with the EU 
to participate in the Schengen visa program, the fixed border 
locations are scheduled to be removed. 
 
¶J. How effective are border patrol forces? 
Response: Swiss border patrol forces are somewhat effective, 
but are being eliminated in 2009. 
¶5. (S) Indigenous Terrorism: 
 
¶I. (S) Anti-American Terrorist Groups 
¶A. Are there indigenous, anti-American terrorist groups 
in-country? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶B. Have groups carried out lethal anti-American attacks 
within the last 12 months? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶C. Were there any other anti-American attacks? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶D. Have groups attacked U.S. Diplomatic targets? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶E. Have groups attacked U.S. business, U.S. Military, or U.S. 
related targets? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶F. Have groups limited their attacks to specific regions or 
do they operate country-wide? 
 
Response: Not applicable. 
 
¶G. If attacks are limited to regions, are there any U.S. 
diplomatic facilities located in these regions? 
 
Response: Not applicable. 
 
II. (S) Other Indigenous Terrorist Groups 
 
¶A. Are there other indigenous terrorist groups (not 
anti-American) in-country? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶B. Have groups carried out attacks in the capital or in areas 
where U.S. diplomatic facilities are located? 
 
Response: No. 
 
¶C. Were attacks lethal and/or indiscriminate? 
 
Response: Not applicable. 
 
¶D. Have any Americans been killed or injured in these attacks? 
 
Response: Not applicable. 
 
¶5. (S) Transnational Terrorism 
 
¶I. (S) Transnational Terrorist Indictors: 
 
¶A. Are there any foreign terrorist groups that have a 
presence in-country? 
 
(S)Response: 
Al-Qa'da associates (Owaiss network) 
Al-Gama'at al-Islamiya (IG) 
Ansa al Islem (AAI) 
Libyan Islamic fighting group 
Konga Eel 
Hizballah 
Asbat al-Ansar 
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) 
Liberation Tigers Talil Elan (LTTE) 
Popular Movement of Kosovo 
Hamas 
Islamic Salvation Front (Algeria) (FIS) 
Armed Group of Algeria (GIA) 
Al-Nahda variant en-Nahda 
Front Islamique Tunisien (FIT) 
Mujahedin e-Khalq (MEK) aka: People's Mujahedin of Iran 
(PMOI) and Mujahedine - Khalq 
Active Islamic Youth Organization 
National Liberation Army of Columbia 
Revolutionary Armed Force of Colombia (FARC) 
 
¶B. How does post assess this presence? Is it an operational 
cell? Financial cell? support cell? Propaganda cell? 
 
Response: It is assessed that these groups provide logistical 
and financial support and are involved in propaganda and 
facilitation activity. 
 
¶C. Is the host government sympathetic to these groups? 
 
Response: The host government is not sympathetic to these 
groups, but do not take aggressive action as compared to U.S. 
law enforcement authorities. 
 
¶D. Are there suspect non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 
the country that have a relationship with any of these groups? 
 
Response: 
Islamic Relief Organization, 
Association de Secours Palestinien, 
Ligue des Mussulams de Suisse. 
 
¶E. Are there any ethnic or religious communities in-country 
that are sympathetic to these groups? 
 
Response: There are a small number of individuals (Libyan, 
Tunisian, Bosnian, Moroccan, Palestinian, Algerian, Somali, 
Sudanese) and some Muslims that are sympathetic to these 
groups. 
 
¶F. How does post assess the level, intent, and scope of 
hostile intelligence services (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Servia, 
Sudan, etc.) in-country relative to potential anti-American 
terrorist acts? 
 
Response: No information available. 
 
¶G. How does post assess the availability of weapons and 
explosives in-country or from nearby countries for hostile 
terrorist elements? 
 
Response: There is insufficient information available to make 
a determination as to whether groups or organizations 
maintain or have access to explosives in country. 
 
 
CARTER