US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3020

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BAGHDAD MAYOR ARRESTED AT AIRPORT

Identifier: 05BAGHDAD3020
Wikileaks: View 05BAGHDAD3020 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Baghdad
Created: 2005-07-21 07:07:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PGOV KDEM IZ XL BAGHDAD
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD - AMB. HOLZMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2025 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, IZ, XL, BAGHDAD 
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD MAYOR ARRESTED AT AIRPORT 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) Mayor of Baghdad, Dr. Alaa Al-Tamimi, was 
arrested July 18 by officials from the Al Mamoon 
Police Center at the Baghdad International Airport. 
The police arrested the mayor on orders from the 
Ministry of Interior on suspicion of his possible 
links to corruption in the Amanat, Baghdad's 
equivalent to City Hall, Tamimi told Poloff on July 
18. 
 
2.  (U) The mayor spent a night in detention at the Al 
Mamoon Facility before being released to resume his 
travels to Amman, Jordan.  Dr. Al-Tamimi was heading 
to Amman to attend a conference on rebuilding efforts 
in Iraq when he was arrested, he told Poloff.  Mr. Ali 
Al-Shaboot, spokesperson for the Committee on Personal 
Integrity (CPI), said the Ministry of Interior (MOI) 
issued the arrest order, according to Sharq al-Awsat 
newspaper on July 20. The arrest order was based on 
suspicion of Dr. Al-Tamimi's role in corruption, 
embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds 
relating to Amanat operations.  Al-Shaboot also 
confirmed that the order was issued after the mayor 
refused to provide information about the charges. 
 
3.  (C) The mayor's current problems coincide with the 
Baghdad Provincial Council's efforts to dismiss him. 
The Provincial Council is accusing the mayor of 
incompetence, lack of qualifications to hold his 
position, and corruption in his management of the 
Amanat, the Provincial Council chairman told Poloff on 
July 18.  Last week members of the Baghdad Provincial 
Council voted to ask the mayor to resign.  However, 
Al-Tamimi has refused to resign and is seeking support 
from the dissolved Baghdad City Council and the ITG to 
remain in his office as mayor of Baghdad City. 
 
4.  (C) REOs Hillah, Basrah, Mosul, and Kirkuk 
minimize considers. 
 
Satterfield 

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