US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3819

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003819 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, IZ, Shia Islamists, Terrorism, Security 
SUBJECT: RESPONSES TO ZARQAWI'S CALL FOR JIHAD  AGAINST THE 
IRAQI SHIA 
 
 
Classified By: CDA David Satterfield for reasons 1.4 
(B) and (D). 
 
.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  In the wake of the September 14 
terror attacks and the Zarqawi statement calling for 
jihad against Iraq's Shia, Embassy has reached out to 
Iraqi contacts across the religious and political 
spectrum to ensure broad condemnation of violence. 
Charge urged Acting Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways and 
Deputy President Shaykh Ghazi al-Yawr to generate the 
widest possible denunciations of the Zarqawi 
statement, and each said they would do so.  PolCouns 
called Sunni and Shia leaders, urging the former to 
condemn Zarqawi's statement and the latter to exercise 
restraint.  Radio reports conveyed a statement from 
Grand Ayatollah Sistani calling for calm no matter 
what the provocation.  Embassy contacts advise that 
Sunni political parties and leaders plan statements 
condemning Zarqawi.   Contacts from the Sadr movement 
told us that Muqtada also will urge Shia restraint. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On the heels of the September 14 deaths of over 
180 Iraqis in 12 separate bombing attacks, an 
audiotape attributed to Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab 
al-Zarqawi appeared on the internet calling for "all- 
out war" against Shia (the term used in the audiotape 
was "raidha", a pejorative term for Shia) to avenge 
the fighters killed in the ongoing Tal Afar campaign. 
In the audiotape, Zarqawi demanded that other 
religious groups and tribes disavow the government of 
Shia Prime Minister Jafari or face attack.  In 
response, September 15 radio news quoted Grand 
Ayatollah Sistani saying that even if half of the Shia 
in Iraq are killed, the Shia would not be drawn into a 
civil war. 
 
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Charge Meets with Top Officials 
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3.  (C)  Acting Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways told 
Charge that at the September 15 cabinet meeting he had 
chaired, government officials had agreed the campaign 
of violence must be condemned from all sides.  He said 
the Cabinet agreed to ask political groups to measure 
their sectarian complaints carefully.  Shaways 
commented that some Sunni Arab leaders - like Deputy 
President Ghazi al-Yawer and Sunni Waqf leader Shaykh 
Ahmed Abdulghafur Samarai'e would be helpful.  Others, 
like Dialog Council spokesman Saleh Mutlak and Ulema 
Council head Harith ad-Dhari, would not.  Charge urged 
Shaways also to talk to SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al- 
Hakim to urge restraint among Shia and for them to 
avoid retaliation. 
 
4.  (C)  Charge also spoke to Shia Coalition leader 
and Deputy Parliament Speaker Shahristani to express 
appreciation for the Ayatollah's statement urging 
restraint.  Shahristani pointedly urged Charge to pass 
to the Sunni clerics that the Shia community needed to 
see some clear sign of Sunni Arab rejection of 
Zarqawi, such as anti-Zarqawi demonstrations after the 
Friday prayers on September 1.  Charge said we would 
pass the message but noted in the atmosphere of 
violence this might be hard for them to arrange. 
Charge also urged Shahristani weigh in with Shia 
Islamist leadership to ensure Badr militia elements 
act with restraint.  Shahristani agreed this would be 
important and promised to do so. 
 
5.  (C)  In his conversation September 15 with Charge 
and General Casey, Deputy President Ghazi al-Yawr 
vigorously condemned the Zarqawi statements and the 
attacks of September 14.  Ghazi underlined twice that 
he didn't want Zarqawi as a "step-father" for the 
Iraqi Sunni Arab cause.  He said he had condemned the 
attacks publicly on September 14 and would do so 
again.  He cautioned, however, that Sunni Arab 
grievances are building, and Zarqawi's message is 
growing in appeal to some in the Sunni Arab community. 
 
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Sunni Community - Mixed Messages 
-------------------------------- 
 
6. (C)  PolCouns called Sunni Waqf director Shaykh 
Ahmed Abdel Ghaffur Samaraie to thank him for his 
public remarks seen on al-Arabiya on the evening of 
September 14 and to urge that he continue to strongly 
denounce the Zarqawi statement.  Samaraie said he had 
appeared on seven satellite networks urging Sunni 
solidarity with the Shia and denouncing the Zarqawi 
statement.  He appreciated our message that we would 
also urge restraint on Shia militias. 
 
7. (C) Sunni political leader Saad Al-Janabi told 
Poloff that Sunni political leaders and members of the 
Group of 15 will today issue a strong response 
condemning Zarqawi's statement.  He also stated that 
he had offered office space in his fortified compound 
to the IIP, the Dialogue Council and other Sunni group 
who took part in negotiations on the Constitution 
since they had been specifically targeted by Zarqawi. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Sunni Arabs Also Have Grievances 
-------------------------------- 
 
8. (C)  PolCouns called senior Iraqi Islamic Party 
official Naseer al-Ani to thank him for the party's 
public denunciation of the September 14 attacks but 
urging that the IIP issue a statement denouncing the 
Zarqawi call for jihad against the Shia.  Al-Ani said 
the IIP's position on the need for Iraqi solidarity 
was well known and had been seen on satellite 
television stations that day.  PolCouns countered that 
Party General Secretary Tareq al-Hashimi's September 
14 evening appearance on al-Jazeera was not all 
helpful.  He condemned "all violence," without 
specifically condemning Sunni on Shia attacks, and his 
remarks about Iraqi Government and American support 
for "ethnic cleansing" of Sunni Arabs was very 
unhelpful. PolCouns emphasized the IIP needed to speak 
clearly in denouncing Zarqawi.  Al-Ani said that Adnan 
Dulaymi and the Sunni Arab leadership are meeting to 
decide on a public statement.  He was sure it would 
include a denunciation of the Zarqawi remarks. 
 
9. (C) Former Sunni Waqf leader Adnan al-Dulaimi held 
a press conference September 15 in which he condemned 
the September 14 violence. "We're against anyone who 
threatens Shia or Sunni" but he did not mention 
Zarqawi. When asked by PolOff why he did not mention 
Zarqawi, Dulaimi said, "We are as afraid as the Shia 
of Zarqawi." 
 
10. (C) Iraqi Council of National Dialogue (ICND) 
member and Constitution Committee expert Dr. Saadoon 
al-Zubaidi told PolOff Sep 15 that while many in the 
ICND have or will condemn the bombings, tribal and 
provincial members are hesitant to do so. "They think 
Zarqawi is too powerful in the provinces, and they are 
afraid to publicly disagree with him." PolOff urged 
the ICND to ensure the broadest possible Sunni 
condemnation of the bombings saying that silence 
implies agreement. 
 
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Shia Response - Good Words 
-------------------------- 
 
11. (C)  PolCouns called Haithem al-Hasani, the 
personal aide to SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, as 
Badr Organization director Hadi al-Ameri was not 
available.  PolCouns noted that Sunni Arab leaders 
have denounced the attacks in some instances and have 
pledged to do so in others.  He pressed for Badr Corps 
restraint.  Hasani at first denied to PolCouns that 
the Badr Corps is not involved in any killings. 
PolCouns insisted this was not the time to argue and 
insisted Hasani pass the message.  He said he would do 
so. 
 
12. (U) Sources in the Sadr movement told Poloffs that 
Muqtada Al-Sadr will issue a statement condemning the 
call for jihad and encouraging calm within the Shia 
community later today or tomorrow. 
Satterfield