Country Reports on Terrorism 2012 - Kyrgyzstan

Overview: 2012 was a year of relative stability in Kyrgyzstan following the inauguration of President Almazbek Atambayev in December 2011, which marked the first democratic transfer of presidential power in the nation's history. There were no reported terrorist attacks in Kyrgyzstan in 2012 and no large-scale inter-ethnic clashes. Kyrgyz security forces, however, conducted continuing special operations against individuals allegedly affiliated with terrorist organizations. The Kyrgyz government remained attuned to the potential for terrorism and was involved in numerous international cooperative counterterrorism efforts.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: With funding from Embassy Bishkek's Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) office, the Kyrgyz government constructed several border guard towers along the country's southern border with Tajikistan. EXBS worked with Kyrgyzstan's Border Guards to utilize more modern border surveillance techniques and equipment, including ground sensors, and also funded training programs for Kyrgyzstan's Customs Services to improve pedestrian, passenger, and vehicle inspection. The Kyrgyz government does not gather biometric data at its border posts.

In 2012, the State Committee for National Security (GKNB), the main government organization tasked with counterterrorism, arrested several individuals based on their alleged connections to terrorist organizations. Throughout the year, the GKNB periodically arrested alleged members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, which the Kyrgyz government designated as a terrorist organization in 2003. The GKNB claimed to discover extremist materials during the arrests.

There was positive U.S. cooperation with Kyrgyzstan's main counterterrorism bodies – the GKNB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). The GKNB and MVD proactively notified the United States about possible security threats to the U.S. military-operated Transit Center at Manas International Airport and to the U.S. Embassy, usually in the form of protests. They deployed a relatively large number of troops along Bishkek's main thoroughfare (on which the Embassy is located) to deter large crowds from gathering at the Embassy.

Deterrents to more effective host government law enforcement measures against terrorism included rivalry and a lack of coordination between the GKNB and the MVD, as well as budgetary constraints which resulted in a lack of modern military and law enforcement equipment. Inefficient bureaucratic structures left over from the Soviet era, as well as low salaries and frequent personnel turnover hampered law enforcement efforts. Kyrgyz counterterrorist units remained largely untested in combat situations.

In September, the President signed an order making the Border Service independent from the GKNB. While this move may have some institutional benefits for the Border Service, it created another independent security service competing for resources. Bureaucratic friction is likely to weaken cooperation between the GKNB and the Border Service.

Kyrgyzstan continued to participate in the Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance program, which provided training to help Kyrgyz law enforcement deter, detect, and respond to terrorist activities.

Countering Terrorist Finance: Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, a Financial Action Task Force-style regional body. Its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) belongs to the Egmont Group of FIUs. On May 28, the Kyrgyz government established a Commission on Combating Financing of Terrorism. The Commission will function as a consultative body under the government to coordinate activities between relevant state bodies on combating terrorist financing and the laundering of criminal earnings. The Government of Kyrgyzstan did not report any efforts to seize terrorist assets in 2012. For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to the 2013 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.

Regional and International Cooperation: In 2012, Kyrgyzstan participated in counterterrorism activities organized by the OSCE, the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terrorism Center, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.