VZCZCXRO9264
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHOR #1001 3511507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171507Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6219
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS GABORONE 001001 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMRBC
SUBJECT: BOTSWANA 2009 REPORT ON TERRORISM 
Botswana 
 
¶1.  Botswana has a low terrorism threat. No acts of domestic or 
international terrorism occurred in Botswana during 2009. 
 
¶2. While there was no evidence of terrorists using Botswana in this 
way in 2009, two reports in recent years suggest that terrorists 
could use Botswana as a transit point due to its long, porous 
borders.  There was a 2006 report of organized smuggling of 
immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan and a 2007 report stated 
that suspected Islamic militant Haroon Rashid Aswad resided in 
Botswana in 2005 prior to his arrest in Zambia. The large number of 
Zimbabwean economic migrants who are living in Botswana after 
crossing the border illegally also demonstrates that the border is 
easily crossed. 
 
¶3.  Botswana is a member of the Southern Africa Development 
Community (SADC), whose Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security is 
responsible for its counterterrorism efforts. The Government of 
Botswana has a National Counterterrorism Committee to address issues 
pertaining to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Botswana's 
first intelligence agency, which is responsible for both domestic 
and foreign intelligence gathering, was established in 2008. The 
Botswana Defense Force designated a squadron as its counterterrorist 
unit and sent several officers to IMET-sponsored counterterrorism 
training.  Members of the Botswana Police Service also received 
antiterrorism training at the International Law Enforcement Academy 
located in Gaborone, Botswana. 
 
¶4.  In April 2009, Botswana's Parliament passed legislation to 
create a Financial Intelligence Agency (FIU).  The FIU will 
harmonize Botswana's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist 
financing regime.  While the legislation for this has been enacted, 
the FIU is still being established.  Until the Financial 
Intelligence Unit (FIU) is functioning, the Directorate on 
Corruption and Economic Crimes has a dedicated unit that will 
continue investigating suspicious transactions.  One goal of this 
legislation is to decrease the likelihood that terrorist financing 
could move through Botswana's financial institutions. Terrorist 
financing is not criminalized as a specific offense in Botswana. 
However, acts of terrorism and related offenses, such as aiding and 
abetting, can be prosecuted under the Penal Code and under the Arms 
and Ammunitions Act. 
 
¶5.  The Bank of Botswana circulates to financial institutions the 
names of suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations listed on 
the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee's consolidated list, the list of 
Specially Designated Global Terrorists designated by the United 
States pursuant to E.O. 13224, and the EU list. This circulation, 
however, is done on more of a voluntary, informational basis than a 
legal one because, as a World Bank assessment of the Botswana 
government's anti-money laundering and countering terrorism 
financing legislation noted, Botswana does not have a legal 
framework to implement UNSCR 1267 and 1373 or freeze assets based on 
these frameworks. 
 
¶6.  No legal cases related to terrorism or terrorist financing were 
prosecuted by the Government of Botswana in 2009.  There were no 
extradition requests from the United States to Botswana or vice 
versa.  Botswana and the United States do not have a treaty on 
extradition. 
 
¶7.  There is no evidence that Botswana provides safe haven to 
terrorists. 
 
¶8.  Embassy point of contact is Pol/Econ officer Adrienne Taylor at 
TaylorAB@state.gov. 
HAMILTON