JORDANIANS IN CUSTODY IN IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 003230 SIPDIS CPA FOR AMB BREMER FROM AMBASSADOR GNEHM E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2014 TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ US JO SUBJECT: JORDANIANS IN CUSTODY IN IRAQ Classified By: Ambassador Edward Gnehm for reasons 1.5(b),(d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request for CPA, CENTCOM, and CJTF-7. See para 4 below. -------------- JORDANIANS IN CUSTODY IN IRAQ -------------- ¶2. (C) Let me take this opportunity to offer my sincere appreciation for your continuing efforts in Iraq. As we have discussed on your visits to Amman, the government of Jordan has gone to extraordinary lengths to support the U.S. and Coalition goals of restoring stability and prosperity to Iraq through police and military training, training of Iraqi government employees, and extensive contacts and assistance to Iraqi ministries. Because of its support for the new Iraq, the GOJ has come under increasing criticism from domestic critics for "supporting the occupiers" in Iraq. Despite this criticism, the GOJ has persevered in its efforts to help Iraq. They know that doing so serves their own strategic interests, as well as others. ¶3. (C) There have been persistent reports of the detention of Jordanian citizens in Iraq. CPA and CJTF-7 have in the past helped us to identify more than forty Jordanians who were held in Coalition military custody and subsequently released. Members of the Jordanian Parliament have recently alleged that more than 1000 Jordanian citizens are in Coalition custody in Iraq. While neither we nor the GOJ believe that this figure is accurate, neither do we have current and solid information to refute these allegations. Senior officials of the Foreign Ministry asked us April 25 to provide as complete an accounting of Jordanian citizens in custody in Iraq as possible -- whether in CPA, CJTF-7, or Iraqi police custody, or incarcerated in the Iraqi prison system. The Jordanian MFA does not want opposition members of Parliament to use these allegation to further undercut Jordanian support for Iraq. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶4. (C) I would therefore like to ask your help in providing as complete a list as possible of all identified Jordanians currently in CPA or Coalition military custody. In addition, we also need to get an informed estimate of the aggregate number of Jordanians incarcerated in the Iraqi justice system (police or court detention and prison). If CPA or CJTF-7 are unable to provide a reliable estimate of Jordanians held in Iraqi custody, I would appreciate any information you could provide that we could give to the Jordanians so they can direct their queries on this matter to the proper Iraqi authorities. Allow me to once again extend my appreciation and support to you and each coalition member in your efforts to build a better Iraq. Warm regards, Skip Gnehm. ¶5. (U) 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