US embassy cable - 88BAGHDAD1731

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Identifier:	88BAGHDAD1731
Wikileaks:	View 88BAGHDAD1731 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Baghdad
Created:	1988-03-29 10:59:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PTER PREL IZ
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 01731 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS:  PTER, PREL, IZ 
SUBJECT:  1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: IRAQ 
 
REF:  STATE 88525 REPEATING STATE 42378 NOT SENT 
TO BAGHDAD 
 
1.  IRAQ. 
 
2.  IRAQ STRONGLY DENIES ANY RELATIONSHIP TO TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS.  THE AVOWED TERRORIST ABU NIDAL WAS 
EXPELLED FROM THE COUNTRY IN 1983 AND SINCE THAT TIME 
IRAQ HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ESTABLISH A NEW 
INTERNATIONAL IMAGE AS A STATE ABHORRING TERRORISM. 
THIS EFFORT HAS FITTED A GENERAL PATTERN OF TRYING 
TO ENGENDER INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AS THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR 
HAS DRAGGED ON, NOW INTO ITS EIGHTH YEAR. 
 
3.  IRAQ HAS ALSO GONE TO GREAT EFFORTS TO DEVELOP ITS 
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLO, WHICH LIKE ALL ARAB STATES 
IT DOES NOT VIEW AS BEING A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. 
PLO CHAIRMAN ARAFAT FREQUENTLY COMES TO BAGHDAD, AND 
THE PLO MAINTAINS OFFICES IN BAGHDAD.  IN MARCH, IRAQ 
PROUDLY ANNOUNCED DONATING THREE MILLION DOLLARS TO 
THE PLO, DESPITE IRAQ'S OWN MOUNTING INDEBTEDNESS DUE 
TO THE WAR. 
 
4.  CERTAIN PALESTINIAN GROUPS WHICH HAVE COMMITTED 
TERRORIST ACTIONS, SUCH AS THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION 
FRONT HEADED BY ABU AL-'ABBAS AND THE MAY 15 ORGANIZA- 
TION, ARE KNOWN TO HAVE RECEIVED SANCTUARY AND 
ASSISTANCE FROM IRAQ SINCE 1983.  CERTAIN OF THESE 
GROUPS MAY HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE SUCH ASSISTANCE 
OR SANCTUARY IN 1987. 
 
NEWTON