US embassy cable - 03AMMAN7586

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007586 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, SW, JO 
SUBJECT: SWEDISH EMBASSY SEEKS HELP LOCATING SWEDISH 
CITIZEN DETAINED IN IRAQ; POC FOR IRAQ DETAINEES NEEDED 
 
REF: AMMAN 7393 
 
Classified By: DCM David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
1. (U) Action Request for CPA Baghdad.  See paragraph 5. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
2.  (C) Post has been contacted several times by Amman-based 
Swedish diplomats seeking welfare and whereabouts assistance 
for a Swedish detainee held in Iraq.  The Embassy has been 
able to ascertain from the Coalition Provisional Authority 
(CPA) in Baghdad that the Swede is in U.S. custody, but we 
are unable to answer follow-up queries.  Post seeks 
Department guidance and requests the CPA formulate policy and 
designate a POC to deal with similar requests from other 
countries. End Summary. 
 
------------------------- 
POST BECOMES DE FACTO POC 
------------------------- 
 
3. (C) The Swedish Embassy has contacted the Embassy on 
several occasions -- including a formal diplomatic note -- 
seeking help in locating a Swedish citizen allegedly in U.S. 
custody in Iraq.  The Swedes provided the following 
biographic information: 
 
      Name: Haider Muhsin Saleh 
      DOB: July 1, 1962 
      Swedish Personal Ident. No.: 620701-0239 
      Swedish Passport No.: 23802467 
      Issued: January 22, 2003 
 
4. (U) The Embassy has been able to ascertain from CPA 
Baghdad that the Swedish citizen is in U.S. custody.  The 
Swedes are now requesting additional information on the 
detainee which Post is unable to provide. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
5. (C) We expect more such welfare/whereabouts requests in 
the coming months (we note that the Jordanian government has 
formally inquired about 37 Jordanians it believes are in 
custody in Iraq - reftel).  Post recommends the Department, 
CPA and CENTCOM define a clear policy for handling such 
inquiries, and designate a point of contact that can address 
such requests. 
 
6. (U) CPA Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET 
home page. 
GNEHM