VZCZCXRO4199
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHBS #0397/01 0781612
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191612Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RHMCSUU/FAA WASHINGTON ARTCC WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8733
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000397 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR IEP/EUR/4121/PDACHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM:  CHARGE'S MEETING WITH MIN TRANSPORTATION 
ON POSSIBLE AIRPLANE SABOTAGE AT ZAVENTEM AIRPORT 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  In a March 11 meeting with the Charge and embassy 
officials to brief the Embassy on a recent alleged case of 
sabotage of two airplanes at Brussels's Zaventem airport, the 
Belgian Minister of Transportation and senior Belgian civair 
officials told the Charge that as far as they know two planes 
were damaged, probably by an employee or employees upset by 
planned layoffs at the private company that provides 
maintenance repair services to some airlines at Zaventem.  A 
police inquiry is underway.  Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) 
officials from Frankfurt, Germany visited the repair facility 
of Belgian company Sabena Technics on March 11, and were 
satisfied with the safety and security measures the 
Government of Belgium had put into place.  Belgian 
transportation authorities, while notifying the Ministry of 
Interior's anti-terror unit of the incidents, have discounted 
the possibility that the sabotage was an act of terrorism. 
One remaining question is how long the company had 'sat' on 
the information before informing authorities, who made the 
matter public when a large investigation was being carried 
out.  End summary. 
 
 
¶2.  (U)  Charge and embassy officers were briefed by 
Transportation Secretary Etienne Schouppe (of the CS&V party) 
and his staff March 11 regarding possible sabotage of two 
aircraft at Sabena Technics during the past few weeks. 
Schouppe had insisted on personally participating in the 
debriefing, and was accompanied by Frank Durinckx, his 
director for Civil Aviation, his chief of staff Johan 
Decuyper and aviation expert Geoffray Robert. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Durinckx said that the ministry had been informed 
on March 6 about 'unusual events on two aircraft' by Sabena 
Technics, a private company providing maintenance and repair 
services at Zaventem to a number of airlines and customers. 
Sabena Technics is currently being restructured (downsized), 
although no employees have been selected yet to be let go, 
and the Ministry suspects an embittered employee caused the 
damage.  The two aircraft involved were a Boeing 737 of a 
European cargo carrier and a C-130 of the Belgian Air Force. 
In both cases, wiring had been cut in a very visible 
location: three cables on the B737, and 16 on the C-130. 
Company inspectors had discovered the sabotage, and promptly 
added increased checks, fences and a controlled entry point 
around each plane, and created lists of personnel working on 
the planes.  Also, Sabena Technics also notified all airlines 
which had planes serviced for the past two months, Durinckx 
said. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Schouppe said his office had asked Sabena Technics 
for proof of the extra checks and had immediately contacted 
the judicial police to start an investigation.  The police 
were currently interviewing some 150 persons, and for that 
reason, Schouppe said, he had also informed the press on 
March 9, much to the dismay of Sabena Technics and the 
employees' union.  Schouppe defended his decision to inform 
the press, since in the process of interviewing 150 people, a 
leak was bound to happen, he said. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Embassy FAA representative told Schouppe and his 
staff that he had already contacted the Frankfurt FAA office 
earlier in the week about this incident.  On March 11, 
Frankfurt FAA had already visited the Sabena Technics plant, 
one of over 600 FAA-certified repair stations located outside 
the United States.  Embassy FAA representative said his FAA 
Frankfurt colleagues had been 'very impressed' with the 
recent security measures. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Durinckx said that they had no indication that 
this was an act of terrorism, although his office had 
informed the anti-terror unit at the Ministry of Interior 
about these incidents.  He and Schouppe were of the opinion 
that this was an act of one or more disgruntled employees. 
Minister Schouppe said that Sabena Technics personnel were 
shocked by the sabotage, and he thought that those employees 
who will keep their jobs will 'probably perform even better 
that before' as a result of it. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Comment:  Although Belgian authorities appear to 
have reacted promptly and also have tried to avoid any 'cover 
 
BRUSSELS 00000397  002 OF 002 
 
 
ups,' it is still unclear how long Sabena Technics has been 
sitting on this information.  Durinckx indicated that a first 
act of cutting wires could have occurred as early as February 
17, and the fact that Sabena Techhnics went back two months 
to warn all of its customers during that period may be an 
indication that the company did not inform the Minister right 
away.  End Comment. 
 
BUSH 
.