VZCZCXYZ0042
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNT #2242/01 3561220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221219Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1667
INFO RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS TASHKENT 002242 
 
SIPDIS 
S/CT: RHONDA SHORE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMR UZ
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: STATE 109980 
 
Introduction and General Assessment 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶1.    (U)  In Uzbekistan, widespread poverty and pockets of 
discontent with the social and political situation create 
conditions that religious extremists could exploit.  Despite 
potential threats, the government of Uzbekistan (GOU) maintained 
tight control over the security situation within Uzbekistan in 
¶2009.  No large scale terrorist attacks were carried out within 
Uzbek territory in 2009, although several assassinations and other 
incidents are believed to be linked to extremist groups.  Terrorist 
groups which originated in Uzbekistan, including the Islamic 
Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) are 
active in other countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.  A 
lack of reliable information makes it difficult to analyze the 
extent of the terrorist threat in Uzbekistan.  Government security 
forces deal with terrorist threats without bringing them to the 
attention of the press or the international community whenever 
possible. 
 
 
 
Terrorism Cases 
--------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.    (U)  On May 26, an armed group attacked a police outpost in 
Andijan province, near Uzbekistan's border with Kyrgyzstan.  At the 
same time, at least two suicide bombings took place in the city of 
Andijan.  The IJU claimed responsibility for the attacks. 
 
 
 
¶3.    (U)  On July 16, the deputy director of Tashkent's largest 
madrassah was murdered in front of his home.  On July 31, three men 
attacked and stabbed the principal imam of Tashkent in front of his 
home, but the imam survived.  On August 9, Hasan Asadov, an officer 
of the Directorate against Terrorism and Corruption of the Uzbek 
Interior Ministry, was shot and killed in his own apartment. 
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the three attacks were engineered 
by the same extremist organization. 
 
 
 
¶4.    (U)  On August 29, an armed group of alleged extremists 
exchanged gunfire with security forces in Tashkent.  Several people 
were killed, possibly including members of the security forces. 
 
 
 
¶5.    (U)  In addition, there are periodic unconfirmed reports of 
border skirmishes, jail breaks, gunfire, explosions, and other 
possible terrorist incidents.  The government of Uzbekistan rarely 
releases information about any rumored incidents, but the 
unofficial media frequently publishes stories speculating on 
terrorism in Uzbekistan. 
 
 
 
Terrorist Finance 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6.    (U)  Although financing of terrorism does not appear to be 
a significant problem in Uzbekistan, a large and robust black 
market functions outside the confines of the official financial 
system.  The unofficial, unmonitored cash-based market creates an 
opportunity for small-scale terrorist money laundering.  In April 
2009, the government of Uzbekistan responded to international 
concerns and passed legislation to reestablish an anti-money 
laundering regime that had been suspended by Presidential decree 
until 2013.  The new legislation falls short of international 
standards in some areas, but represents a step forward in 
Uzbekistan's commitment to combat financial crimes.  It is too 
early to fully assess the implementation and impact of the 
legislation. 
 
 
 
Terrorist Groups 
---------------- 
 
¶7.    (U)  The IMU and the IJU are terrorist groups of ethnic 
Uzbek origin.  These groups formed with the goal of overthrowing 
the current Uzbek government, but Uzbek security forces appear to 
have effectively limited their operations in Uzbekistan.  These 
groups have moved most of their operations to other countries in 
the region, although they still attempt to carry out attacks on 
Uzbek soil. 
 
 
 
¶8.    (U)  The government of Uzbekistan is suspicious of many 
organized Islamic movements, some of which are clearly political or 
extremist, and some of which claim to have only peaceful, 
non-political goals.  Members of organizations such as Hizb 
ut-Tahrir and Nur are often jailed if they are identified by Uzbek 
security forces. 
 
 
 
Foreign Government Cooperation 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶9.    (U)  Uzbekistan cooperates with foreign governments on 
general security issues, including border control.  Uzbekistan 
hosted the Central Asian Border Security Initiative (CABSI) meeting 
in October, 2009, for the purpose of facilitating border security 
cooperation within the region.  Tashkent is the seat of the 
six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Regional 
Anti-Terrorism Structure. 
 
 
 
¶10.    (U)  Embassy point of contact for this issue is Political 
Officer Katrisa Peffley: peffleykb@state.gov. 
NORLAND