Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN1876
2003-03-29 09:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

TFIZO1: REPORT FROM U.S. REPORTER EXPELLED FROM

Tags:  CASC AMGT ASEC CVIS EFIN ETRD IZ JO 
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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).

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