TRIBAL SHEIKHS JAILED FOR SADDAM-SPONSORED IRAQ

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