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S E C R E T SOFIA 001681 SIPDIS NOFORN STATE FOR R, P, AND EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2015 TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KDEM, KPAO, KMPI, EAID, BU SUBJECT: COMBATING EXTREMISM IN BULGARIA REF: A. STATE 159129 B. SOFIA 1504 Classified By: Ambassador John R. Beyrle, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (S) SUMMARY: Bulgaria,s Muslim minority has been a target for recruitment by foreign extremist groups since the early 1990s, and local media have reported sensational accounts of purported radical Islamic activity. Despite these reports, the vast majority of Bulgaria,s roughly 13 percent Muslim minority remains moderate or non-religious. GoB officials treat the threat of extremism as a high priority and closely cooperate with the USG on security issues. The U.S. Mission seeks to combat extremism through programs that enhance the GoB's anti-terror capabilities while addressing unemployment, education, and social marginalization among Bulgaria,s minority communities. Septel will provide an overview of the Islamic community in Bulgaria, Islamic institutions, and Islamic extremism. END SUMMARY 2. (C) In addition to Islamic extremism, Bulgaria has recently witnessed the rise of a new extremist threat from right-wing nationalists. This year's parliamentary elections saw a xenophobic, anti-U.S., anti-EU party known as "Ataka" ("Attack") garner 8.75 percent of the vote. While "Ataka" members do not directly advocate violence, they have contributed to an increase in ethnic tension that has manifested itself in several violent incidents between ethnic Bulgarians and Roma. The USG maintains a "no contact" policy with Ataka and continuously monitors political events and incidents of hate speech. Reftel B discusses "Ataka" and Bulgaria's Roma community. There have been no reports of extremist activity linked to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church or other communities in Bulgaria. -------------------- Security Cooperation -------------------- 10. (S/NF) Bulgaria's National Security Service extensively monitors suspected extremists within the country, with particular attention paid to expatriate communities of Arabs, Chechens, and Kurds. In previous years, the GoB pursued an aggressive policy of deporting suspected radicals; however, that process has been halted following a 2001 judgment by the European Court of Human Rights which held that Bulgaria had violated the human rights of the deportees. All sections of Embassy Sofia report excellent anti-terrorism cooperation from Bulgarian counterparts; however, corruption weakens the overall effectiveness of Bulgarian efforts. To date there has been no evidence of links between extremists and Bulgaria,s well-developed organized crime groups, but the potential for ad hoc cooperation in, for example, procurement of weapons or explosives remains a threat. ---------------- Embassy Programs ---------------- 11. (C) Combating extremism is a mission-wide priority for Embassy Sofia. The Political/Economic section monitors ethnic and religious politics and conducts outreach to the Grand Mufti's office, leaders of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (the principal political party representing the Turkish minority), and members of the NGO and academic community who follow Muslim issues. Recently, an Embassy political/economic officer met with local imams and ethnic affairs specialists in Turkish, Roma, and Pomak (ethnic Bulgarian Muslim) areas to gain a firsthand understanding of minority issues, including the threat of extremism. The section also monitors the GoB's progress in combating terrorist finance and has nominated candidates for the November DOJ/OSCE Conference on Combating Terrorist Financing in Vienna. 12. (C) The Regional Security Office works closely with GoB partners to build capacity and bolster the Bulgarian services' capability to respond to the threat of extremism. RSO facilitates anti-terror training for members of the Bulgarian security services at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest. Through the Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) program, RSO also provides more detailed training on issues such as weapons of mass destruction to over 200 trainees per year from agencies such as the Bulgarian Border Police, the Customs Service, the Prosecutor's office, and the National Police. 13. (U) Significant anti-terror cooperation is also coordinated through the Office of Defense Cooperation. ODC allocates over $200,000 annually to anti-terrorism training for Bulgarian military and civilian specialists from a variety of ministries. This training takes place in-country and at regional conferences, and also includes two fully funded slots for long-term anti-terrorism training at the National Defense University. Funding to date has relied on discretionary grants from DOD's European Command, but in FY 2006, ODC expects that a separate line item will guarantee approximately $150,000 in funding for anti-terrorism training. Through its humanitarian assistance programs and excess property donations, ODC provides roughly approximately $500,000 in annual assistance to Bulgarian communities. Roughly 15% of these funds are earmarked for minority communities in an attempt to match the ethnic balance of the country. 14. (U) The Public Affairs Section is active in reaching out to the Muslim minority in Bulgaria: -In February 2005, PAS sent a female Pomak candidate on a "European Young Muslim Leaders" International Visitor Leadership Program. The candidate, a former youth leader in the majority-Muslim Movement for Rights and Freedoms political party, has returned to Bulgaria to work in the National Association of Municipalities. -In October 2005, PAS is organizing a two-week workshop that will send six Bulgarian journalists covering ethnic and religious minority issues to the U.S. to study how American media report on ethnic issues and the use of hate speech by political leaders. -For FY 2006 Post has approved a Single Country International Visitor Project that will provide tools for professional development of civil rights advocates. The participants, nominated by local Peace Corps staff, include Muslims and representatives of NGOs that work in majority minority areas. -Embassy outreach to the Muslim community includes the "Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation". Through this fund, PAS is assisting in the restoration of the 17th century Kurshum Mosque, one of the most historically significant Ottoman-era mosques in Bulgaria. -PAS arranged for a SEED-funded U.S. speaker on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Sofia University's Department of Middle Eastern and Oriental Studies. Dale Eickelman, an expert on Islam and Islamic politics at Dartmouth University, also met individually with representatives of Bulgaria's Muslim community and spoke at an NGO workshop on the subject of "Islam and the Public Sphere". 15. (U) Through the SEED-funded Democracy Commission Small Grants Program, PAS has coordinated several additional programs aimed at improving opportunities for ethnic and religious minorities, promoting tolerance, and attacking the causes of extremism. -"The Muslim Community in Bulgaria: Facing the Global Challenges" seeks to explore the Muslim community's reaction to world events since September 11th through focus groups, press analysis, and programs to encourage public debate. -The "Possible Dialogues on Belief" project, implemented through the International Center for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations, will produce a documentary film promoting dialogue between Muslim and Christian communities in Bulgaria. -Numerous projects focus on improving educational opportunities in Muslim and Roma communities. One Democracy Commission project in the city of Veliko Turnovo works to keep minority children in school by improving their Bulgarian language skills. Programs in Pleven and Silstra promote ethnic desegregation of extracurricular activities and education in tolerance, democracy, and civic values. -In advance of Bulgaria's July, 2005 parliamentary elections, Democracy Commission grants promoted political participation and electoral outreach among marginalized urban Roma populations in Sofia and Sliven. 16. (U) USAID works extensively to promote ethnic integration and tolerance through its relationship with Partners Bulgaria Foundation. This project, currently in its fifth year, incorporates a multi-faceted approach to ethnic integration. Initiatives include promotion of employment opportunities, community planning, and the establishment of leadership institutes and conciliation commissions in towns throughout Bulgaria. 17. (S) COMMENT: The U.S. Mission in Bulgaria continues to seek out opportunities to combat extremism of all forms. We believe the limited extremism present in Bulgaria is largely fed by the lack of economic opportunity. Many in Bulgaria are frustrated by the country's prolonged transitional phase. Populist, nationalist, and xenophobic opportunists attempt to play on this frustration. We believe that programs addressing Bulgaria's overall economic development are the most effective tools in countering extremism stemming from this phenomenon. In addition, support of moderate religious and ethnic leaders/institutions and continuous public diplomacy emphasis on tolerance, diversity, and equal opportunity are essential. END COMMENT BEYRLE
