Subject U.s.-german Counterterrorism Strategy: Seizing The Opportunity To Advance Our Cooperation
Origin Embassy Berlin (Germany)
Cable time Thu, 21 Sep 2006 08:46 UTC
Classification SECRET

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(C) German Interior Minister Schaeuble‘s primary goal in Washington, according to his Diplomatic Advisor Lothar Freischlader, is expanding terrorist data exchange. British officials briefed Schaeuble in London August 16 on the role of U.S.-UK cooperation in preventing the airplane bomb plot. The briefing convinced Schaeuble that Germany has to deepen cooperation with the U.S., Freischlader said. Having the Minister in Washington and so favorably inclined is an opportunity not to be missed. The Embassy has consistently pushed for more information exchange (ref A) and visiting DHS Counselor Rosenzweig September 5 called sharing terrorist data DHS‘s first priority (ref B). While we have had good informal information exchanges with many German federal and state agencies, they are often based on professional relationships Mission personnel have built up over the years. Up to now, the most forthcoming response we have had from German officials at the director-general level was a call for experts to meet; lower level staff sometimes rehash German concerns about data protection and pour cold water. U.S. officials should seek Schaeuble‘s commitment in Washington to agree to a systematic and robust exchange of terrorist watch-list data (HSPD-6). Experts may still need to meet on implementation details but Schaeuble should instruct his staff that they are to discuss how, not whether, to make information sharing possible. ¶3. (S) Post has also long sought the sharing of terrorists‘ fingerprint data (ref A). FBI Director Mueller raised this issue with Schaeuble‘s deputy, August Hanning, in Berlin September 19 (ref C). Senior MOI officials repeatedly tell us systematic fingerprint sharing presents more of a challenge, mostly due to German and EU rules and public concerns over data privacy. Regardless, given the persuasive power of the successful dismantling of the UK bomb plot, Schaeuble should hear whatever we can tell him about how fingerprint data sharing enabled victories in the war on terrorism. We should tell Schaeuble we are prepared to begin deeper information sharing with watchlist data, but the future of terrorism prevention depends on greater resort to biometrics.

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(S) German officials tell us Schaeuble was struck by the role of the Internet in this summer‘s failed German train bombing plot. Internet sites radicalized the plotters and taught them how to make their suitcase bombs, German officials report. The German press reports Arabic-language Internet monitoring is a priority for Schaeuble‘s 50 million Euro budget increase for the domestic security service (BfV). German officials told visiting S/CT Counterterrorism Coordinator Crumpton Sept. 6 Germany is aware of U.S. First Amendment concerns and is prepared to water down the proposal to satisfy U.S. and Canadian objections