SWEDISH EMBASSY SEEKS HELP LOCATING SWEDISH

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007586 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2013 TAGS: PREL IZ SW JO SUBJECT: SWEDISH EMBASSY SEEKS HELP LOCATING SWEDISH CITIZEN DETAINED IN IRAQ; POC FOR IRAQ DETAINEES NEEDED REF: AMMAN 7393 Classified By: DCM David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) ¶1. (U) Action Request for CPA Baghdad. See paragraph 5. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (C) Post has been contacted several times by Amman-based Swedish diplomats seeking welfare and whereabouts assistance for a Swedish detainee held in Iraq. The Embassy has been able to ascertain from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad that the Swede is in U.S. custody, but we are unable to answer follow-up queries. Post seeks Department guidance and requests the CPA formulate policy and designate a POC to deal with similar requests from other countries. End Summary. -------------- POST BECOMES DE FACTO POC -------------- ¶3. (C) The Swedish Embassy has contacted the Embassy on several occasions -- including a formal diplomatic note -- seeking help in locating a Swedish citizen allegedly in U.S. custody in Iraq. The Swedes provided the following biographic information: Name: Haider Muhsin Saleh DOB: July 1, 1962 Swedish Personal Ident. No.: 620701-0239 Swedish Passport No.: 23802467 Issued: January 22, 2003 ¶4. (U) The Embassy has been able to ascertain from CPA Baghdad that the Swedish citizen is in U.S. custody. The Swedes are now requesting additional information on the detainee which Post is unable to provide. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) We expect more such welfare/whereabouts requests in the coming months (we note that the Jordanian government has formally inquired about 37 Jordanians it believes are in custody in Iraq - reftel). Post recommends the Department, CPA and CENTCOM define a clear policy for handling such inquiries, and designate a point of contact that can address such requests. ¶6. (U) CPA Baghdad minimize considered. Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET home page. GNEHM