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### Viewing cable 05PARIS8442, FRANCE: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05PARIS8442 | 2005-12-14 13:01 | 2010-11-30 16:04 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Paris

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PARIS 008442

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE AND ED SALAZAR

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PTER ASEC KCRM EFIN FR
    SUBJECT: FRANCE: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

    REF: STATE 193439

    ¶1. (U) Per reftel, enclosed is the 2005 country report on
    terrorism for France. Embassy point of contact is Poloff
    Peter Kujawinski, who can be reached on either the classified
    or unclassified e-mail systems.

    France - 2005

    OVERVIEW

    In 2005, France continued to discover and dismantle terror
    networks present on its soil, including several that
    recruited jihadists to Iraq. Following the July bombings in
    London, French officials worked closely with their British
    counterparts. They also perceived a number of deficiencies
    in their counterterrorism capabilities, and proposed
    legislation to remedy these deficiencies. This legislation
    is expected to enter into force in early 2006. From March
    on, the French government has worked to draft a white book on
    terrorism, with publication expected by the end of the year.
    A conference in October about the white book underscored the
    French government,s belief that terrorism is a primary
    strategic threat to France, and that dealing with it is
    consequentially a central priority. France consults
    extensively with the U.S. on terrorism, at the tactical and
    strategic level. In general, counterterrorism cooperation
    between the U.S. and France is excellent.

    INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

    France continues to be an active and engaged participant in
    the international war against terrorism. On the military
    front, its special forces participate in counterterrorist
    operations in Afghanistan and as a part of Task Force 150, a
    multinational naval force that patrols the Red Sea and the
    Persian Gulf to interdict the movement of suspected
    terrorists from Afghanistan to the Arabian Peninsula. In
    Afghanistan, French Mirage-2000 fighters have flown with USAF
    fighters to assist American and Afghan ground troops. At the
    political and diplomatic level, France continues its
    engagement within the UNSC Counterterrorism Committee and the
    G-8,s Counterterrorism Action Group. France is a party to
    all 12 international conventions and protocols relating to
    terrorism.

    France and the United States continue to cooperate closely on
    border security issues, including aviation security and the
    Container Security Initiative. French police and security
    services have been very responsive to US requests. In
    addition, France is active internationally in proposing
    bioterrorism safeguards and nuclear facility safeguards. The
    U.S. and France continue their dialogue on nuclear security
    cooperation.

    On terrorism financing, France continues to develop the
    competencies and capabilities of TRACFIN, the Ministry of
    Finance,s terrorism financing coordination and investigation
    unit. TRACFIN has expanded the number of economic sectors it
    monitors within the French economy, with a particular
    emphasis on institutions, non-governmental organizations and
    small enterprises suspected of having ties to Islamic
    terrorism. It has also strengthened its coordination with
    justice and security officials. Within the European Union,
    France plays an active role in the Clearinghouse, the EU,s
    terrorism financing coordination body. France has designated
    as terrorist groups those that appear on the EU list of
    terrorist organizations. France has not designated
    Hamas-affiliated charities, such as the French-based Comite
    de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens, arguing that
    they have no proven links to terrorism. France also opposes
    EU designation of Lebanese Hizballah as a terrorist
    organization, though it supports Hizballah's eventual
    disarmament, which the GoF maintains will be the result of
    Hizballah's gradual integration into Lebanese politics.

    French authorities consistently condemn terrorist acts and
    have made no public statements in support of a
    terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism issue.
    Nevertheless, France, along with its EU partners, retains
    diplomatic relations with all of the governments designated
    as state sponsors of terrorism, with the exception of North
    Korea. It continues to cooperate closely with the United
    States in pressing for the implementation of UN Security
    Council Resolution 1559, which targeted Syrian domination of
    Lebanon and called for the dismantlement of armed groups and
    militias in Lebanon (including Hizballah) and extension of
    Lebanese government control throughout Lebanese territory, to
    include areas under the de facto control of Hizballah.

    French and Spanish authorities have jointly made significant
    progress in combatting Basque separatist groups, including
    the ETA. French-Spanish investigative teams focusing on
    al-Qaida-related groups and Basque separatist groups continue
    to function. In the first use of the EU arrest warrant for
    terrorism, French authorities extradited ETA suspect Unai
    Berrosteguieta Eguiara to Spain on February 18.

    DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES

    France is perhaps best known for its counterterrorism police
    forces and judiciary. Within the Ministry of Interior, the
    DST (internal security service), RG (police intelligence),
    DNAT (counterterrorism brigade) and Brigade Criminelle
    (criminal investigations) all play important roles in French
    counterterrorism work. A number of organizations coordinate
    the activities of the counterterrorist forces, including
    UCLAT (a counterterrorism coordination unit with the Ministry
    of Interior), the SGDN (attached to the office of the Prime
    Minister) and the Council for Internal Security (attached to
    the office of the President.) Although there is little
    legislative oversight of intelligence and security agencies,
    Interior Minister Sarkozy proposed in late November the
    creation of an oversight working group that will include
    members of French intelligence and legislators. Sarkozy
    promised to submit a draft law on this issue by February 15,
    ¶2006.

    The counterterrorism section of the Paris Prosecutor,s
    office usually leads the French government,s terrorism
    investigations. Investigative judges, who in the French
    system combine prosecutorial and judicial powers, concentrate
    on Islamic/international terrorism, Basque/ETA terrorism and
    terrorism linked to Corsican separatist groups. Their
    mandate is extensive, and includes terrorist acts on French
    soil and acts abroad that affect French citizens. Their
    powers are substantial and they are given wide freedom to
    investigate. They cooperate closely with French police and
    security services. In March, then-Justice Minister Dominique
    Perben announced the hiring of four additional terrorism
    investigating judges, along with additional support staff,
    bringing the number of specialized terrorism investigating
    judges to nine.

    French police and intelligence services within the Interior
    Ministry have extensive powers of surveillance, monitoring
    and detention. These powers were enhanced with the 2004
    passage of the Perben II law and include expanded detention
    (up to four days before charges must be brought), more
    authority for police to go undercover, warrants for searches
    at night, more leeway in granting document searches, and
    increased authority to wiretap. These expanded powers are to
    be used only in cases that involve investigation of
    organizations "that imperil society," such as the mafia, drug
    traffickers and terrorist organizations. Even if government
    authorities are found to have misused their new powers, any
    evidence they have found would still be accepted in court.

    The French government continues its policy of expulsions for
    non-French citizens engaged in activities that promote hate.
    Interior Minister Sarkozy stated in August that France was
    monitoring dozens of radical imams. He also announced
    October 4 that 19 Islamic extremists had been expelled from
    France since the beginning of the year; 102 have been
    expelled since 2002. In March, the CSA, France,s
    FCC-equivalent, ordered the Eutelstat satellite company to
    cease transmitting Sahar 1, an Iranian television station,
    because of its anti-Semitic and hate-filled broadcasting.
    Following the CSA,s banning of Hizballah-affiliated Al-Manar
    satellite television, Hizballah deputies lobbied the French
    government in 2005 to lift the ban. Separately, the Conseil
    d,Etat, France,s highest administrative court, is reviewing
    an appeal by Al-Manar to reinstate its broadcasting license.

    France remains worried over the rise of radical Islam.
    According to a November 12 press report, the RG, France,s
    police intelligence service, kept 350 places under
    surveillance (including 42 Islamic prayer halls and 300
    businesses) during the first seven months of 2005 because of
    suspicions of radical Islamist activity. The RG estimates
    that, of the approximately 5 million Muslims in France,
    200,000 are practicing and of that number, between 5,000 and
    9,000 are linked to extremist causes.

    French officials are also concerned regarding the role of
    prisons in converting petty criminals to jihadism. Prisons
    served as a center of recruitment for the Safe Bourrada
    terror network (dismantled in late September, see below).
    According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Justice
    in September, 358 people are imprisoned for terrorism; 159
    are Basque-related, 94 are Islamic extremists and 76 are
    Corsica-related. France has proposed several measures to
    address Islamic extremism in prisons, including the
    establishment of a corps of moderate Muslim prison chaplains.

    The July bombings in London caused many French officials to
    reexamine their counterterrorism capabilities. In addition
    to the initial reaction of elevating the Vigipirate alert
    system and coordinating closely with British officials, the
    French government soon proposed a new counterterrorist bill
    that calls for increasing video surveillance in public areas,
    allowing police more access to phone and Internet records,
    and more closely monitoring international travel by ship,
    rail and plane.
    Under French law, terrorism suspects may be detained for up
    to 96 hours before charges are filed. The new bill making
    its way through the legislature proposes extending the
    96-hour period an additional 48 hours, for a maximum total
    detention of 144 hours. Suspects can be held for up to three
    and a half years in pretrial detention while the
    investigation against them continues. Other proposed
    measures in the bill include increasing the maximum penalty
    for association with a terrorist enterprise from 10 to 20
    years in prison, and increasing the maximum penalty for
    terrorist enterprise organizers from 20 to 30 years in
    prison. The National Assembly approved the bill in late
    November. The Senate is expected to take up discussion of
    the bill in December, with probable approval in January 2006.

    Another reaction to the July bombings in London was a
    decision by the French government to encourage the heads of
    its domestic intelligence agencies - RG and the DST - to take
    on more public roles, in order to sensitize the public to the
    threat of terrorism. In a related action, the French
    government, in coordination with a local think-tank, opened a
    public website focused on the details of past terrorist acts,
    at https://bdt.frstrategie.org

    French police and security officials conducted a large-scale
    exercise in November that simulated multiple chemical attacks
    throughout Paris. Local prefectures, especially Paris, have
    instituted PRM, a French acronym for "plan red - multiple"
    that focuses attention on the prospect of multiple attacks,
    either simultaneous or sequential. A similar large-scale
    chemical attack simulation took place May 9 in the Val
    d,Oise region. In addition, the Paris Prefecture has
    created a specialized NRBC unit of firefighters.

    MAJOR COUNTERTERRORIST ACTIONS - 2005

    On January 26, French police arrested eleven people (three of
    whom were eventually charged with terrorism conspiracy) in
    Paris, 19th arrondissement for reportedly recruiting young
    French residents to launch terrorist attacks in Iraq. It was
    the first arrest since the opening in September 2004 of an
    investigation by the Paris Prosecutor,s office into
    "jihadists to Iraq." French intelligence, security and
    judicial authorities have consistently identified the
    conflict in Iraq as an attractive force for French jihadists.
    French officials stated in November that 22 young people had
    left for Iraq, and at least seven had been killed there,
    including two suicide bombers.

    Djamel Beghal, the ringleader of a group arrested in 2001 on
    suspicion of planning to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Paris, was
    convicted March 15 of "terrorist conspiracy," and received a
    maximum 10-year sentence. His five accomplices were all
    found guilty as well, and received sentences ranging from one
    year to nine years in prison.

    The last three French nationals detained at Guantanamo were
    transferred to French custody on March 7, following the
    transfer of four nationals in 2004. France released Mustaq
    Ali Patel in March and Imad Kanouni in July. The other five
    remain in pretrial detention and may be charged with
    terrorist conspiracy. The former Guantanamo detainees,
    detention has withstood multiple appeals by defense lawyers.
    France has been one of the most aggressive and proactive
    countries in prosecuting its citizens formerly held by the
    U.S. at Guantanamo.

    On April 24, French police in Paris arrested Said
    al-Maghrebi, an Afghanistan training camp veteran, on
    suspicion of organizing potential jihadists to fight in Iraq.
    Four others reportedly belonging to al-Maghrebi,s network
    were arrested in Paris and Marseilles. Two were later
    released.

    A French court on May 16 declared five people guilty of
    organizing logistic support for the suicide bombers who
    assassinated Afghan Commander Ahmad Sheikh Massoud on
    September 9, 2001. The five were sentenced to between two
    and nine years imprisonment.

    On May 20, a Paris court condemned Corsican nationalist
    Charles Pieri to 10 years in prison for terrorism finance
    conspiracy and extortion.

    French police arrested Hamid Bach on June 21 in the city of
    Montpellier on suspicions of organizing a terrorist ring
    focused on attacking targets in France and sending potential
    jihadists to Iraq.

    French police arrested 9 people in late September on
    suspicion of belonging to a terrorist group. According to
    press reports, the group, reportedly led by GSPC sympathizer
    and convicted terrorist Safe Bourrada, was in the initial
    phases of planning terrorist attacks against targets in
    France, including the Paris Metro, Orly airport and the
    headquarters of the DST, France,s internal security service.
    Four more suspected members of the Bourrada network were
    arrested in early October.

    On November 29, French police arrested six people suspected
    of financing extremist and terrorist causes. One of them was
    a prison guard and two were former Islamic chaplains. The
    group reportedly had visited Bosnia and attempted to recruit
    jihadists to Iraq. The group belonged to the fundamentalist
    Tabligh movement.

    British authorities transferred Rashid Ramda to French
    custody on December 1. Ramda is the suspected financier of
    the 1995 GIA attacks in the Saint-Michel RER train station,
    the Musee d,Orsay RER train station and the Maison-Blanche
    metro station. Ramda had been in British custody for the
    last ten years, and his extradition to France removes a major
    irritant in French-British relations.

    On December 12, French police arrested approximately 25
    people, in the largest terror-related sweep in Europe since
    the aftermath of the Madrid bombings in 2004. Those arrested
    are suspected of involvement with terrorist financing. The
    reported ringleader is Ouassini Cherifi, a French-Algerian
    who had spent time in prison for passport fraud. French
    police suspect he, like Safe Bourrada, recruited low-level
    criminals to his network while in prison.

    Judicial investigations following the arrests in 2003 of
    German national Christian Ganczarski and Moroccan national
    Karim Mehdi continued in 2005. Ganczarski and Mehdi, who are
    suspected of ties to al-Qaida, remain in pretrial detention
    in France.

    The judicial investigation into the activities of six
    suspected members of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
    (GICM) arrested in 2004 continues. The six suspects are
    being held in pretrial detention and are thought to have
    provided logistical support to those who committed the
    attacks against Madrid trains on March 11, 2004.

    Investigations into the "Chechen network," a loose grouping
    that is reported to have links with the Beghal network and
    the Frankfurt network (which attempted in 2000 to attack
    cultural sites in Strasbourg, including the cathedral) have
    concluded, although a trial date for those arrested has not
    been set. Members of the Chechen network reportedly were
    interested in using chemical agents to commit terrorist
    attacks. Several suspected members of the Chechen network
    were arrested in France in 2005.

    Corsica continues to experience low-level terrorist
    activities. Recent attacks have occurred against peoples of
    North African ancestry. The FLNC Union of Combatants claimed
    responsibility for firing a rocket on September 29 at the
    prefecture in Ajaccio. The rocket attack did not cause any
    injuries, although it exploded a few meters from where the
    prefect and a receptionist were working.
    Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
    http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

    Stapleton

`