TFIZ01: HEAD OF BENI HASSAN TRIBE IN JORDAN SAYS

S E C R E T AMMAN 002447 SIPDIS CENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ JO SUBJECT: TFIZ01: HEAD OF BENI HASSAN TRIBE IN JORDAN SAYS BENI HASSAN IN IRAQ WISH TO COOPERATE WITH THE COALITION Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) ¶1. (S) Sheikh Nawwaf al-Eitan, head of the Beni Hassan tribe in Jordan, contacted PolCouns April 17 to say that the head of the Beni Hassan tribe in Iraq would like to cooperate with Coalition forces. Sheikh Nawwaf said that Sheikh Hatem al-Hassan, leader of the Beni Hassan in Iraq, called this week on his Thuraya phone and said that he wanted to get in touch with Coalition representatives, but did not know how. He said the Beni Hassan want to cooperate in rebuilding Iraq in any way possible. Sheikh Nawwaf said that the Beni Hassan had many members who had served and could again serve in the Iraqi military, police forces, and fire/civil defense brigades. In addition, the Beni Hassan would like to participate in the new political process in Iraq. ¶2. (S) Sheikh Nawwaf provided the following names and contact numbers for Beni Hassan leaders in Iraq. Sheikh Hatem al-Hassan, leader of the Beni Hassan in Iraq, Thuraya phone number 00-88-21-65-21-31-023. Sheikh Hatem lives in an-Najaf province near Kufa in an area called Abu Hallan. Dr. Rahim Hatem al-Hassan, son of Sheikh Hatem and the Deputy President of the Bar Association Dr. Ali Hatem al-Hassan, son of Sheikh Hatem and professor at a university in Baghdad ¶3. (SBU) According to Sheikh Nawwaf, the Beni Hassan of Iraq number 1.5 million and live mostly in the area of south-central Iraq near an-Najaf and Karbala. Although the Beni Hassan of Jordan are Sunni, he said that nearly all Beni Hassan in Iraq are Shia. GNEHM