GOJ REQUESTS INVESTIGATION OF ATTACK AGAINST

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003126

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2014
TAGS: PREL PTER IZ JO
SUBJECT: GOJ REQUESTS INVESTIGATION OF ATTACK AGAINST
JORDANIANS IN IRAQ


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)


1. (U) On April 20, post received via fax a diplomatic
note from the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding
an attack on two Jordanian citizens, one of whom was killed,
on April 14 while driving a vehicle in Iraq. (A translation
of the note in English is provided below in paragraph four.)
According to the note, relatives of the victim and others
have claimed that the car was targeted and attacked by an
American military plane. Accordingly, the GOJ is requesting
that the Embassy ask relevant U.S. authorities to immediately
investigate this incident and to determine what role
coalition forces may have played.


2. (U) After receiving the diplomatic note, post forwarded
April 21 an English language translation via e-mail to
Colonel David Sabal, CPA Deputy Chief of Staff in Baghdad, as
well as to Lt. Colonel Laura Shally, Assistant to CPA Chief
of Staff Ambassador Stephen Smith. Post requested that CPA
provide any information on the incident to the Embassy for
forwarding to the GOJ. The note was also passed to the Iraq
Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center (HACC) at the
Embassy for direct coordination with coalition military
forces. Charge discussed this matter April 21 with Omar Al
Rifai, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
and promised to share all relevant information with the MFA.


3. (C) COMMENT: News of the April 14 attack generated
considerable negative publicity in the Jordanian press,
reinforcing public opposition to the U.S. military occupation
of Iraq. To address this sentiment, an MFA "source" informed
the press that it had delivered a diplomatic note to the
Embassy "demanding more information" about the incident and
the motives behind it. Post would appreciate any follow-up
information that U.S. authorities in Iraq could provide. End
comment.


4. (U) The translated text of the diplomatic note is as
follows:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan extends its greetings to the Embassy of the United
States of America in Amman.

Reference is here made to the shooting that took place in a
car that was carrying Jordanian nationals Faleh Khader Abu Al
Sheikh Al Zu'bi and Qasem Mohammed Oweid Abdulrazzaq on the
fast road (Al Ramadi) in Iraq on April 14, 2004, which
resulted in the death of the first man and injuries in the
second.

The Ministry would appreciate if the Embassy could kindly ask
the concerned American authorities to investigate this
accident in the absence of justifications for, or
clarifications of, what happened by coalition forces in light
of what has been said by relatives of the victims and letters
from some popular and unions' activists to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs that the reason for this accident was that
the car they were using was targeted by an American military
plane.

The Ministry would also like to inform the Embassy and
through it to the U.S. Government that the Jordanian
nationals are civilians in Iraq doing business, and that Mr.
Abu Sheikh is a lawyer, appointed by the Jordanian Lawyers
Association.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to
convey its highest appreciation and respect to the Embassy of
the United States of America.


5. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or through the
Department of State's SIPRNET site.
HALE