US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2902

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002902 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2025 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, MOPS, IZ, Detainees 
SUBJECT: DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS HIS BOSS NOT 
ADDRESSING PRISONER ABUSE ALLEGATIONS 
 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (S) SUMMARY: IN A MEETING AT HIS PRIVATE RESIDENCE 
ON 04 JULY, IRAQI DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR FOR 
INTELLIGENCE HUSSEIN ALI KAMAL REPORTED THAT MINISTER 
OF INTERIOR JABR HAS REPEATEDLY IGNORED ORAL AND 
WRITTEN REPORTS OF ABUSE AND TORTURE OF DETAINEES 
CARRIED OUT BY UNITS OF THE SPECIAL POLICE COMMANDOS, 
INCLUDING THE WOLF BRIGADE.  THIS INACTIVITY 
CONTRADICTS JABR'S PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PRIVATE 
COMMUNICATIONS WITH USG AND COALITION PERSONNEL. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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MEETING WITH DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (S) BRIGADIER GENERAL EWAN DUNCAN AND IRMO/MOI 
INTELLIGENCE ADVISOR JEFF MENATH MET WITH DEPUTY 
MINISTER KAMAL AT HIS PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN THE 
INTERNATIONAL ZONE AT 2000 HOURS ON 04 JULY.  ALSO 
PRESENT FROM THE IRAQI SIDE WAS BRIGADIER GENERAL 
NABIL, COUNSELOR TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER, WHO 
TRANSLATED. 
 
3.  (S) DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL REPEATED POINTS HE HAD 
MADE PREVIOUSLY:  THAT THE COMMANDOS AND PUBLIC ORDER 
BATTALIONS WERE ABUSING PRISIONERS, PRIMARILY SUNNIS, 
DETAINED IN THE COURSE OF OPERATION LIGHTNING (AN 
ONGOING MINISTRY OF DEFENSE/MINISTRY OF INTERIOR 
OPERATION IN AND AROUND BAGHDAD).  KAMAL UNDERSCORED 
THAT THIS ABUSE WAS BOTH WRONG AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. 
 
4.  (S) NOTE:  DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL IS NOMINALLY 
CHARGED WITH CONDUCTING INTERROGATIONS OF CAPTURED 
FIGHTERS TO GLEAN INFORMATION USEFUL TO THE COUNTER- 
INSURGENCY.  HOWEVER, KAMAL CLAIMS THAT HE HAS NOT 
BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO MORE THAN TOKEN NUMBERS OF 
DETAINEES, AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO HIS 
AUTHORITY HAVE BEEN BEATEN AND HAD NOTHING OF 
INTELLIGENCE VALUE TO OFFER. END NOTE. 
 
5.  (S) DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL FURTHER SAID THAT HE HAD 
GIVEN A FILE CONTAINING A WRITTEN LIST OF REPORTED 
INCIDENTS OF TORTURE BY THE COMMANDOS TO MINISTER JABR 
OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, ONLY TO HAVE THE LIST RETURNED 
WITH THE ARABIC WORD FOR "NOTED" WRITTEN ON IT.  KAMAL 
SAID HE NOW HAS POSESSION OF THIS FILE AND EXPRESSED 
HIS WILLINGNESS TO PASS IT TO THE COALITION. 
 
6.  (S) AT AN UPDATE BRIEFING ON OPERATION LIGHTNING 
ON 05 JULY, MAJOR GENERAL ADNON, COMMANDER OF THE 
SPECIAL POLICE COMMANDOS AND PUBLIC ORDER BRIGADES, 
CLAIMED A "CENTRAL INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE" WAS NEEDED 
TO HANDLE INTERROGATIONS OF ALL DETAINEES.  OTHERS, 
INCLUDING MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OFFICIALS, PICKED UP ON 
THIS CALL IN SCRIPTED FASHION. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (S) WE INTERPRET ADNON'S CALL FOR A "CENTRAL 
INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE" AS A TRANSPARENT ATTEMPT TO 
PREEMPT A CONFRONTATION WITH THE COALITION OVER THE 
CONDUCT OF HIS FORCES AND THEIR HANDLING OF DETAINEES 
TO DATE.  HOWEVER, POST CONSIDERS IT A RARE 
OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE MUCH NEEDED INSTITUTIONAL 
CHANGE.  THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A "CENTRAL 
INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE" UNDER THE CONTROL OF DEPUTY 
MINISTER KAMAL COULD FACILITATE MORE PROFESSIONAL 
CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATIONS, GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF 
OBTAINING ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE, AND PROPER DETAINEE 
CARE. 
 
8.  (S) ALSO OF NOTE ARE MINISTER JABR'S REMARKS IN A 
RECENT MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHARGE 
THAT HE WAS AGAINST ABUSE OF PRISONERS BUT NEEDED 
PROOF TO ACT.  THIS DOES NOT SQUARE WITH THE ABOVE 
REMARKS OF DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL, WHO AS NOTED, 
PRESENTED JABR WITH A WRITTEN LIST OF ABUSE BY THE 
COMMANDOS WEEKS AGO.  JABR HAD ALSO CLAIMED TO 
POLCOUNS ON JUNE 30 THAT THERE HAD BEEN ABUSES AT THE 
HANDS OF THE COMMANDOS AND THAT FIVE OFFICERS HAD BEEN 
FIRED AND THREE AWAIT TRIAL.  WE DO NOT YET HAVE 
CONCRETE DETAILS ON THESE CASES, ALTHOUGH THE MINISTER 
HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE THEM. END COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) REO MOSUL, REO KIRKUK, REO BASRAH, REO HILLAH 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
 
 
Satterfield