Excerpt from document summary
(S/NF) Egypt increased its efforts to combat smuggling
over the last several months, including beginning
installation of a subterranean steel wall and resuming
installation of an FMF-funded tunnel activity detection
system.

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DE RUEHEG #2325/01 3540509
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O 200509Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4494
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1988
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 1238
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
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Content
S E C R E T CAIRO 002325

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2019
TAGS: PREL, PARM, PTER, MASS, KPAL, EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: COUNTER SMUGGLING UPDATE

REF: A. CAIRO 2249
B. IIR 6 899 0124 10
C. IIR 6 899 0111 10
D. CAIRO 1350

Classified By: Ambassador Margaret Scobey per 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. Key Points:

-- (S/NF) Egypt increased its efforts to combat smuggling
over the last several months, including beginning
installation of a subterranean steel wall and resuming
installation of an FMF-funded tunnel activity detection
system.

-- (S/NF) Installation of the tunnel detection system has
resulted in the daily discovery of main tunnels along the
Egyptian-Gaza border, revealing only part of what is believed
to be a vast subterranean network. Recent damage to some of
the equipment, however, has raised concerns about Egypt's
ability to successfully maintain the program in the long-run.

2. (S/NF) Comment: Anecdotal evidence from contacts in
northern Sinai (ref A) and press reports seem to indicate
that Egypt's increased efforts in Rafah and along the
entrances to the Sinai peninsula have helped reduce the flow
of smuggled goods through northern Sinai. While achieving
short-term success, those efforts have also clearly
demonstrated long-term challenges to Egypt's capacity to
combat arms smuggling. Recent damage to some of the
equipment related to the tunnel detection system appears to
have been intentionally inflicted, although it is unclear by
whom. Post has requested that MOD conduct a full
investigation into the damaged equipment and apply additional
security measures to protect the equipment, which will be
especially critical once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(ACE) complete installation in April 2010 and turn the system
over to the Egyptian military. The BTADS system, however, is
merely a tool. To be effective at counter smuggling, Egypt
must use the information on tunnel locations and activity to
identify and dismantle the lucrative smuggling networks.

--------------------------------------------- ---
BTADS: Tunnels Discovered, but Equipment Damaged
--------------------------------------------- ---

3. (S/NF) Since resuming installation of the FMF-funded
Border Tunnel Activity and Detection System (BTADS) in
November, the process of drilling holes for the seismic
acoustic sensors alone has resulted in the daily discovery of
1 - 3 tunnels per day. Over a two day period at the
beginning of December, for example, installation turned up
five main tunnels (ref B). In one episode, after contractors
drilled a hole, several angry and wet men appeared out of the
tunnel's opening on the Gaza side, after being drenched with
water from the drill. Main tunnels serve as the primary
conduits between Egypt and Gaza, which innumerable smaller
feeder tunnels empty into. Prior to BTADS, Egypt was only
capable of discovering and destroying the smaller feeder
tunnels, leaving the main tunnels intact.

4. (S/NF) Damage to FMF-provided video cameras, however, has
significantly reduced Egypt's ability to exploit or map these
tunnels. Every camera provided during the first phase of the
program (3 cameras in total) is currently out-of-service
after having suffered damage that should not have occurred
during normal use, according to the manufacturer (ref C).
The cameras were provided as supplemental equipment for the
BTADS system, so that the Egyptians could investigate tunnels
discovered when the sensors detect activity. Overall, the
BTADS timeline remains unaffected and is actually ahead of
the scheduled April 2010 completion date.

5. (S/NF) It is unknown who inflicted the damage or why.
The cameras were under the control of MOD's Tunnel Detection
Unit, but the Border Guard Force and smugglers themselves
when cameras were being operated also had access. The
cameras are currently being repaired and replaced and will
return to operation by mid-January 2010. Additional cameras
(48 units of various types) are also being provided as part
of phases II and III of the BTADS program. Once the damage
was discovered, the ACE immediately helped the Egyptians
institute stricter security controls for all the equipment.
On December 16, OMC sent a letter to Assistant Minister of
Defense Major General Fouad Abdel Halim, who is responsible

for the project, raising our concerns about the damaged
equipment.

6. (S/NF) In addition to ensuring an investigation into the
damaged equipment, OMC is also working with MOD to submit a
letter of request for $5.5 million of additional training and
maintenance for the BTADS program. MOD has already indicated
a willingness to fund additional support through FMF, but has
not yet submitted a request. Follow on support will be
critical once the ACE completes the installation and turns
the system over entirely to the Egyptian military.

----------
Steel Wall
----------

7. (S/NF) In December, the Egyptian military began
constructing a subterranean steel wall along the Egypt-Gaza
border. The wall is an MOD-initiative valued at $40 million,
which will be 19 meters deep (16 meters of steel sheet
beginning at a depth of 3 meters) and 12 mm thick. MOD had
frequently discussed this project with us since the beginning
of the year (Ref D), but only recently received the
corrugated steel sheets. MOD engineers also coordinated with
OMC to ensure that the wall was far enough away from the
BTADS system to prevent interference with the sensors. MOD
expects to finish the project by December 2010.

8. (S/NF) International, regional and local press have
recently begun reporting on the project, generating criticism
that Egypt is complicit in Israel's embargo on Gaza (septel)
and erroneously stating the wall is a U.S.-funded project.
For the short-term, the wall has become a very visible symbol
of Egypt's counter smuggling efforts. We also understand
that the installation process - vibrating the plates into
position - is itself damaging the tunnel structure beneath.
It is unknown, however, if the wall will be effective at
deterring smuggling in the long-run, as the steel sheets are
basic construction-grade material that can be cut using a
tool like a blow torch.
Scobey