US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1876

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001876 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013 
TAGS: CASC, AMGT, ASEC, CVIS, EFIN, ETRD, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: REPORT FROM U.S. REPORTER EXPELLED FROM 
BAGHDAD MARCH 29 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. Reason 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY - MR. NATE THAYER, A REPORTER EXPELLED FROM 
IRAQ, CALLED TODAY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON SITUATION IN 
BAGHDAD.  HE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT HIS COMMENTS NOT/NOT 
BE PROVIDED TO PRESS OR PUBLIC.  SITUATION IN BAGHDAD IS 
CHAOTIC WITH NO ONE APPEARING TO BE IN CONTROL.  MS. MARY 
CAPERTON BINGHAM WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN FROM THE ROOM SHE 
SHARED WITH MR. THAYER.  AT THE SAME TIME MR. MATTHEW 
MCALLESTER, MR. MOISE SAMAN (BOTH OF NEWSDAY), MR. PHILIP 
LATASA (PEACE GROUP MEMBER), AND MR. JOHAN SPANNER (A DANISH 
REPORTER AND CITIZEN), ALL DISAPPEARED FROM THE HOTEL. 
THAYER PRESUMES THAT THEY WERE ARRESTED IN THE SAME 
OPERATION. THAYER STATES THAT THE FEELING IN THE STREET IS 
100 PERCENT PRO-IRAQ, ANTI-BUSH, WITH MOST OF THE CITIZENRY 
IN THE STREETS BEING ARMED WITH LIGHT WEAPONS.  HE STATED 
THAT HE HAD BEEN "ALL OVER" BAGHDAD IN THE PAST FEW DAYS AND 
SAW NO/NO ARMORED VEHICLES.  HE REQUESTED THAT OFFICERS OF 
THE DAO CONTACT HIM FOR DISCUSSIONS. END SUMMARY 
 
2. (C)  MR. THAYER REPORTED THAT THE OFFICIALS ARRESTING MS. 
BINGHAM WERE "ELITE SECURITY" TYPES AND WERE VERY 
PROFESSIONAL.  THEY CAREFULLY SEPARATED BINGHAM'S BELONGINGS 
FROM HIS AND BAGGED MANY OF HER BELONGINGS FOR FURTHER 
ANALYSIS.  SHE WAS THEN FORCED TO PACK UP COMPLETELY, AS 
THOUGH SHE WERE TO BE EXPELLED FROM IRAQ.  WHEN THAYER TOLD 
THEM THAT THEY COULD NOT TAKE HER WITHOUT HIM, HE WAS BADLY 
BEATEN.  HE HAS NOT SEEN HER SINCE.  THE OTHERS MENTIONED IN 
PARA 1 DISAPPEARED THE SAME NIGHT AND THEIR HOTEL ROOMS WERE 
THOROUGHLY CLEANED, AS THOUGH THEY HAD NOT BEEN THERE AT ALL. 
 
3. (C)  THAYER REPORTS THAT HE IS DOUBTFUL OF THE PUBLISHED 
REPORTS THAT BINGHAM, ET.AL. HAVE ENTERED SYRIA.  HIS 
PERSONAL BELIEF, FOR WHICH HE ADMITS HAVING NO SOLID 
EVIDENCE, IS THAT THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE SYRIAN FRONTIER AND 
ARE PROBABLY BEING HELD AT THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN THE 
IRAQ/SYRIA NO-MAN'S-LAND (NOTE - DAMASCUS REPORTS THAT 
ALL/ALL CAMPS ARE WITHIN SYRIA AND THAT NO ONE IS ENCAMPED ON 
THE IRAQI SIDE OF THE BORDER.).  HE STATES THAT HE HAS HEARD, 
SINCE SECRETARY RUMSFELD'S SPEECH YESTERDAY, THAT SYRIAN 
AUTHORITIES ARE NOT PERMITTING US OR BRITISH CITIZENS TO 
CROSS INTO SYRIA FROM IRAQ.  HE EXCEPTS THOSE THAT ARE BEING 
FORMALLY EXPELLED BY IRAQI AUTHORITIES.  HE DID NOT EXPLAIN 
WHY THE SYRIANS WOULD HOLD BINGHAM AND COMPANY IF THEY WERE 
FORMALLY EXPELLED.  HE DOUBTS THAT SHE HAS ENTERED SYRIA 
BECAUSE THE FIRST THING SHE WOULD HAVE DONE IS CALL HER 
SISTER.  HE CLAIMS THAT HAS NOT YET HAPPENED.  THAYER 
BELIEVES SHE MAY HAVE CONTACTED A MR. CHRISTIAN BRIGGS, OF 
LONDON, BY CELL PHONE.  MR. BRIGGS HAS SOME CONNECTION TO A 
HUMAN SHIELD/PEACE ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION.  THE TELEPHONE 
NUMBER FOR MR. BRIGGS, PROVIDED TO MR. THAYER IS 
4477-8779-4230.  HE IS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE AT THAT 
NUMBER AND IS UNCERTAIN THAT IT IS CORRECT. 
 
4. (C)  THAYER STATES THAT ONE COMPLICATING FACTOR IN 
BINGHAM'S ARREST IS HER PREVIOUS POSITION AS PHOTOGRAPHER FOR 
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT GORE.  HER ADDRESS BOOK AND PERSONAL 
COMPUTER CONTAINED PHOTOS, ADDRESSES, AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS 
FOR WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS.  IRAQI SECURITY MAY HAVE BELIEVED 
THAT SHE HAD BEEN REPORTING TO THE WHITE HOUSE DURING HER 
STAY. 
 
5. (C)  THAYER REPORTS THAT AFTER MS. BINGHAM'S ARREST, HE 
WAS HARASSED BY IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AND ORDERED EXPELLED ON 
SEVERAL OCCASIONS.  EXPULSIONS HE WAS LATER ABLE TO REVERSE. 
YESTERDAY HE FINALLY ACCEDED AND LEFT BAGHDAD.  HE REPORTS 
NO/NO IRAQI CHECKPOINTS ON THE ROAD FROM BAGDHAD TO JORDAN. 
HE RAN INTO A GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL FORCES WHO PASSED 
HIM ON TO THE BORDER.  HE REPORTS THAT HE WAS AMAZED TO SEE 
LOYAL IRAQI FORCES AT THE BORDER WHO TREATED HIM QUITE 
NORMALLY, EVEN TO NOTING DOWN THE SERIAL NUMBERS OF HIS 
CAMERAS AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT. 
 
6. (C)  AMMAN PA SPOKE WITH LISA BARRON OF CBS RADIO WHO 
CONFIRMED THAT HER REPORT THAT MS. BINGHAM, ET. AL. HAD 
CROSSED INTO SYRIA WAS PREMATURE.  NO ONE CAN CONFIRM THAT 
THEY HAVE CROSSED INTO SYRIA.  SHE DESCRIBED ONE NEW REPORT 
AS HAVING THEM ENROUTE TO AMMAN AND ANOTHER HAVING THEM 
ALREADY IN DAMASCUS.  NOTHING CAN YET BE CONFIRMED.  WE HAVE 
NO FURTHER WORD ON THE OTHER GROUP OF SIX OR SEVEN AMCITS 
FROM THE CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED 
UNDERWAY TO AMMAN FROM BAGHDAD. 
GHNEM 
 
 
 
GNEHM