Homeland Security

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QUESTION:  Richard, has the United States asked Egypt to extradite Abu Abbas?  There are rumors to that effect.

MR. BOUCHER:  I know, there's a lot of rumors and let me tell you what I know.  And I think this is one of these cases you have to keep in mind what we do know and what we don't know.

We have been in touch with senior levels of the governments involved, meaning the Egyptian Government, that are concerned with this issue and others who are concerned about Abu Abbas.  We take the matter very seriously.  But I have to say, we're still trying to establish whether or not the press reports are accurate or not.

QUESTION:  Of his presence in Egypt?

MR. BOUCHER:  Of his presence in Egypt, yes.

QUESTION:  And have they told you that he is -- one version of whether he is in Egypt or not?

MR. BOUCHER:  As I said, we've been in touch with governments.  We're still trying to establish whether the press reports are accurate or not.  That's as far as I can go. 

QUESTION:  Governments? 

MR. BOUCHER:  Egypt and others. 

QUESTION:  That would mean you have not asked for extradition if you don't even know he's there.  That would be a logical --

MR. BOUCHER:  That would be a very logical assumption. 

QUESTION:  What other governments? 

MR. BOUCHER:  I'm not in a position to give a list.  I think there are other governments who would be concerned if Abu Abbas was traveling in this region.

QUESTION:  On Kenya.  Do you remember the attacks in Mombasa and the Israeli-owned places?  Down there, there seems to be a surprising realization that while al-Qaida might have masterminded the attacks, there's a lot of Kenyan involvement, suggesting Islamic fundamentalism has made great inroads in Kenya.  I wonder if the State Department has an assessment of that.

MR. BOUCHER:  I don't have any new assessment of that.  To the extent we might address groups and their ties, that would be addressed in our Patterns of Global Terrorism Report.

QUESTION:  Just to bundle this up, would the United States like to see Abu Abbas extradited from wherever he may be? 

MR. BOUCHER:  That's a legal question and I'd have to refer you to Department of Justice.

QUESTION:  That's not a legal question.  The actual extradition.  Would you like to see him extradited is not a legal question.

MR. BOUCHER:  Yes, it is. 

QUESTION:  Exactly how --

MR. BOUCHER:  The extradition, the whole issue of extradition, is a legal matter.  He can't ask --

QUESTION:  Is he under indictment?

MR. BOUCHER:  That's a legal question which you can ask the Department of Justice.  A question involving extradition, indictments, things like that, need to be asked to the appropriate law enforcement officials.

QUESTION:  Richard, Algerian media say that advanced weaponry from the United States is on its way to help them fight their rebels.  Do you know anything about that?  I seem to get the impression that it's mainly, might be some night-vision goggles, which don't quite constitute advanced weaponry.  Perhaps you can sort it out for us. 

MR. BOUCHER:  Let me run down this question.  I think you'll remember that during Assistant Secretary Burns' visit in December we talked about the -- not only the counterterrorism cooperation but how we could expand our counterterrorism cooperation with governments around the world, the Government of Algeria. 

Counterterrorism cooperation with Algeria has been excellent.  We don't provide foreign military financing for the purchase of any military equipment.  We have, for a number of years, provided Algeria with a program of international military education and training, consisting of English language training and officer education at U.S. military schools.  Funding for these training programs for Algeria in 2001 was $121,000 for five students.  We increased this amount to $550,000 in Fiscal Year 2003's budget.  That will allow us to train 41 students from Algeria.  We think that this kind of military education and training provides a boost to military relations, enhances security cooperation, and above all, exposes military officers to American concepts of government and military behavior.

Algeria has also on occasion asked to purchase military equipment from the United States.  We evaluate those requests on a case-by-case basis in light of U.S. interests.  In recent years, we have approved Algerian purchase of ground control radars for civil aviation, small aircraft for border security, spare parts for C-130 aircraft, radios and Humvee military vehicles. 

We have permitted a US company to sell Algeria night-vision devices for use by security forces.  Those devices have not yet been delivered.  No exports of lethal equipment have been approved. 

QUESTION:  That's what you said a month ago.  But do you know whether those --

MR. BOUCHER:  No, it's not.

QUESTION:  -- that night-vision equipment is now on its way, perhaps?

MR. BOUCHER:  These devices have not yet been delivered. 

QUESTION:  You don't know any more about it? 

MR. BOUCHER:  That's the status.  They haven't been delivered.

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