REQUEST FOR SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT PAROLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 006289 SIPDIS STATE FOR CA/VO/F/P, NEA, AND PRM FROM AMBASSADOR GNEHM DHS FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, PAROLE, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS PHUM JO IZ SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT PAROLE REF: A. KUWAIT 1295 ¶B. KUWAIT 2781 ¶1. Name: Rehaief, Hussein Oda (as written in English in passport: Hoseen A Rehaif) ¶2. DPOB: 16 August 1974; Basra, Iraq (per passport) ¶3. Justification: Mr. Hussein Rehaief is the brother of Mohammed Rehaief, who rendered invaluable assistance to the United States Government during Operation Iraqi Freedom by assisting in the rescue of POW PFC Jessica Lynch. Mohammed and his wife and daughter were paroled into the United States on April 10, 2003. On or about April 30, men presumed to be members of the Baath Party came to the Rehaief family home and threatened remaining family members with bodily harm for the assistance Mohammed had provided to U.S. forces in the rescue of PFC Lynch. In the Iraqi cultural context the threats were directed specifically towards the male members of the Rehaief family. According to U.S. Air Force Special Agent Paul Gaubatz "the home which belonged to the (Rehaeif) family was attacked during the night of 9 June 03 with grenades and subsequently caught fire and (was) destroyed. Information obtained indicates it was directly due to their assistance to the U.S. government and U.S. armed forces. It appears Baath Party and/or Fedayeen are attempting to locate the family." This threat to the Rehaief family has now come to focus on Hussein Rehaief, who has been residing in Amman, Jordan for the past 11 months. (Had Hussein been in Iraq at the time his brother and extended family were removed by U.S. forces, he certainly would have been removed as well.) According to statements made to the Consul and RSO, Hussein Rehaief has been threatened twice by persons claiming to seek revenge for his family,s support for the US in Iraq; on one occasion, he says he was surrounded by a group of eight Iraqi men and struck in the back with a knife (we have seen the healing wound). Based on past incidents where Iraqi agents or sympathizers have demonstrated an ability to act in Jordan, Mission believes that Hussein Rehaief is an attractive target for Saddam supporters who would welcome the chance to hit back at a publicly-known supporter of the U.S. Further, Mission has been informed that a major U.S. news network is planning a lengthy report on Mohammed Rehaief,s efforts vis-a-vis PFC Lynch, and that a book is to come out this autumn as well. Both of these events will heighten the profile of Mr. Rehaief in Amman, increasing his value as a target for Iraqi oppositionists. In post,s view, there is a near certainty that Hussein Rehaief will be in "imminent danger" within the coming two months; after considering all factors, we believe it is preferable to grant him SPB Parole now, before he faces even greater risk of harm and further attack. We note as the humanitarian benefit of reuniting Hussein Rehaief, unmarried and unable to work in Jordan, with the majority of his extended family now residing in the U.S. We note further that refugee processing is not presently available to Mr. Rehaief as an alternate means to rejoin his family and escape danger. When Mr. Rehaief registered with the Amman UNHCR office this summer, he was granted "temporary protection" only, as UNHCR has stopped interviewing Iraqis as refugees pending further evaluation of the political situation in Iraq. Further, post,s refugee processing unit confirms that DHS is not presently interviewing Iraqi refugees who have already been forwarded to us by UNHCR -- we have a backlog of over 170 Iraqi persons who have been waiting DHS adjudication since late last year. Mission urges Washington agencies to concur with granting Special Public Benefit Parole to Hussein Rehaief. ¶4. Addresses: Mr. Rehaief presently resides in a residential district of Amman, Jordan. His father, brother and extended family members are, to the best of his knowledge, residing in Washington, D.C. ¶5. Namecheck: Post has conducted a CLASS namecheck on Mr. Rehaief. No hits were returned. ¶6. Means of support: Mr. Rehaief,s extended family in the U.S. would provide financial support to him upon arrival (they are currently sending him money in Amman). The Livingston Group, which financially assisted his family members upon their arrival in the U.S., may also provide support for Hussein Rehaief. ¶7. Office supporting request: The Ambassador,s Office and Regional Security Office fully supports this SPB Parole request. ¶8. Date of travel and itinerary: Mr. Rehaief would depart Amman as soon as SPB Parole is granted. The most direct route would be via the Royal Jordanian non-stop flight to New York, which would preclude Mr. Rehaief having to deal with immigration officials at intermediate stops. ¶9. Accompanying family members: none ¶10. Certification by the Chief of Mission: "I, Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm, U.S. Embassy Amman, U.S. Department of State, attest to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services and the INS Office of International Affairs, Parole Unit, that: -- i. The justification and information pertinent to the parole request are accurate and complete, insofar as information is available to this post. -- ii. Namechecks have been completed in the CLASS database on the person named in the request and, as appropriate, information obtained from foreign law enforcement agencies. -- iii. All database findings on the person named above, including copies of computer screens and other related materials have been identified and forwarded to the INS Office of International Affairs, PHAB, fax 202/514-0542. -- iv. The following is a complete list of all Department offices and USG agencies known or thought by post to have an interest in this request: Department of Defense; Bureau Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State; Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State; Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Department of State. (signed) Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm; 30 September 2003 GNEHM