VZCZCXYZ1711
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSF #0715/01 3551209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211209Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6551
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC 0279
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1037
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SOFIA 000715 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO S/CT: RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PTER EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMR
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 109980 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Bulgaria remains a staunch ally in the fight 
against terrorism, and the USG enjoys strong cooperation from 
the Government of Bulgaria.  No significant acts of terrorism 
occurred in Bulgaria in 2009.  Bulgaria is not a sponsor of 
terrorism and does not provide a safe haven to terrorist 
organizations.  Bulgaria has ratified all major international 
instruments on terrorism, extradition, and judicial 
cooperation in criminal matters. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During 2009, the Bulgarian government worked 
closely with us to prevent acts of terrorism against United 
States citizens in Bulgaria and elsewhere.  This included 
information sharing on potential terrorist threats and a 
heightened level of protection for USG facilities.  The 
Bulgarian government does not provide any kind of support for 
international terrorism, terrorists, or terrorist groups. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Bulgaria continues to nominate members of its 
counterterrorism team to participate in USG-provided 
counterterrorism training.  During 2009, 29 Bulgarians 
attended USG-sponsored counterterrorism training courses 
within the context of the Combating Terrorism Fellowship 
Program, administered by the Embassy's Office of Defense 
Cooperation.  This training included courses in all aspects 
of counterterrorism including, intelligence, security, 
operations, legal, and civilian-military cooperation.  In 
July 2009, 15 analysts from the Defense Information Service 
received a two-day seminar on terrorist network analysis and 
terrorist finance.  The course was sponsored by EUCOM J-2 and 
taught by analysts from the Joint Analysis Center in 
Molesworth, United Kingdom. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Bulgaria's participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
ended in December, 2008.  Bulgaria continues to participate 
in the International Security Assistance Force in 
Afghanistan.  It has approximately 470 service members in 
Afghanistan, with the bulk (270) guarding the perimeter and 
an entry control point at Kandahar Airfield.  At our request, 
Bulgaria added its first Operational Mentor and Liaison Team 
in February and agreed to add a second.  It has also agreed 
to field a new Role Two Medical Facility that is expected to 
consist of around 75 personnel, including 40 medical staff 
(but it needs financial support to make this a reality). 
Over the longer term, Bulgaria is interested in consolidating 
its forces to form a single battalion-sized force of 400-500 
soldiers.  On a yearly basis since 2004, Bulgaria has 
deployed a frigate in support of the Mediterranean Operation 
Active Endeavor (OAE).  OAE's mission is to conduct maritime 
operations in the OAE area of operations to demonstrate 
NATO's resolve to help deter, defend, disrupt, and protect 
against terrorist activity. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The U.S. and Bulgaria are signatories to a Weapons 
of Mass Destruction (WMD) agreement which formalizes and 
strengthens U.S.-Bulgarian cooperation to prevent the spread 
of WMD and mitigate the impact of any incident or accident 
involving nuclear, chemical, biological, or radiological 
components.  Under the auspices of this agreement, the U.S. 
is expected to provide approximately USD three million by 
2013 for training and equipment for border guards, customs 
officials, national police, and first responders.  Both 
countries are also co-signatories on the Second Line of 
Defense agreement to install radiation detection equipment at 
airports, seaports and land border crossings to deter, 
detect, and interdict the smuggling of radiological 
materials.  Under this agreement the U.S. government will 
invest over USD 15 million by 2013.  The U.S. is also 
enhancing the security at facilities storing radiological 
sources. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Bulgaria has signed the Council of Europe 
Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, a regional 
multilateral treaty aimed at taking effective measures to 
prevent terrorism and to counter public provocation to commit 
terrorist offenses and recruitment and training for 
terrorism. 
¶7.  (SBU)  Bulgaria is a member of the Global Initiative to 
Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and participates in GICNT 
activities and conferences.  As a member, Bulgaria has 
committed to provide political support to strengthen and 
implement the Statement of Principles, which aims to prevent 
nuclear terrorism on a determined and systematic basis. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In November the new center-right GERB government 
achieved a major success with the passage of two bills 
designed to overhaul the structure and operation of the 
Ministry of Interior and the agency responsible for 
counterterrorism, the State Agency for National Security 
(DANS).  The two pieces of legislation eliminate duplication 
of effort and unclear responsibilities, making it easier for 
them to cooperate and share information.  The DANS amendments 
explicitly restored the powers of the Financial Intelligence 
Directorate (FID) to conduct on-site inspections of banks and 
other financial institutions, and collect "bank secret" 
information for money laundering and terrorist financing 
cases.  The FID remains located within DANS, but could be 
moved back into the Ministry of Finance (MoF) or a new organ 
inside the MoF could be created to coordinate policy and 
public outreach on money laundering and terrorist finance. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Internal reorganizations notwithstanding, the FID 
remained vigilant against terrorist financing and continued 
to cooperate with the USG on identifying and investigating 
terrorist assets.  The FID reliably distributed lists of 
individuals and organizations linked to terrorism to all of 
the banks in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Interior, Customs, and 
the Border Police.  The FID has been responsive to all 
mandated UNSCR-designated terrorist organizations, and has 
also been supportive and cooperative on USG designated 
individuals and organizations.  The FID has advised the 
banking sector to use the Department of Treasury Office of 
Foreign Assets Control OFAC website as a reliable information 
resource for individuals and organizations associated with 
terrorism.  The FID also continues to provide feedback, 
including information on the response level of Bulgaria's 
banks, to the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes 
Enforcement Network, as well as to the Embassy.  Assistant 
Treasury Secretary David Cohen visited Bulgaria in October to 
discuss money laundering and terrorist finance with 
high-level Bulgarian officials, all of whom pledged their 
efforts to combat terrorist finance. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Neither the United States nor Bulgaria requested 
the extradition of suspected terrorists for prosecution 
during 2009.  In 2003 and 2007, the United States and 
Bulgaria signed a Mutual Legal Assistance treaty (MLA) 
providing for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, as 
well as a new Extradition Treaty, providing for the 
extradition of Bulgarian nationals.  The MLA, which is part 
of a larger U.S.-EU Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement, and 
the Extradition Treaty, were ratified and implemented in May, 
allowing for the extradition of criminals for new types of 
crimes, including terrorism.  The constitution prohibits the 
extradition of Bulgarian nationals as a general rule, 
although such extraditions can be executed where an 
international bilateral treaty is in force.  Bulgaria 
extradites Bulgarian nationals to all other EU member states. 
 In addition, Bulgaria is a signatory to the Council of 
Europe's Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Bulgaria's religious leaders, including the 
leaders of the nation's Muslim community, continued to speak 
out strongly against extremism and terrorism. 
SUTTON