US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1092

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TRIBAL SHEIKHS JAILED FOR SADDAM-SPONSORED IRAQ 
VISIT 
 
REF: A. GMP20030110000138 B. GMP20030203000056 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
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SHEIKHS PAID BY BAGHDAD TO ACT AS "HUMAN SHIELDS" 
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1. (C) A delegation calling itself the League of Arab and 
African tribes consisting of Jordanian "tribal sheikhs" 
visited Baghdad in mid-January and pledged the group would 
act as human shields in Iraq.  The visiting delegation was 
well covered in Iraqi press (ref A), but were arrested upon 
their return to Jordan (ref B). 
 
2. (C) Although several of the family names mentioned in the 
press reports are associated with prominent tribes, none of 
the individual tribe members are known to Post or have any 
known position of authority within the tribe.  Two of the 
family names mentioned in Ref B--al-Khaza'ilah and 
al-Ghuwayri--are part of the Bani Hassan tribe, the largest 
tribe in Jordan and one with many tribal links in Iraq. 
President of the Senate Zeid Rifai (please protect) told the 
Ambassador on February 6 that Iraq paid the tribal members 
roughly $50,000 each to go to Baghdad.  Rifai said all were 
still being detained and that the GOJ is demanding that all 
members turn over the money to the government. 
 
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COMMENT 
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3. (C) It is likely that we will see further attempts by Iraq 
to influence major elements of Jordanian society--including 
the tribes.  This attempt, however, attracted little 
attention in Jordan and the "sheikhs" who participated will 
likely be brought back in line by their tribes...once they 
are released from jail. 
GNEHM