JORDAN-IRAQ HOSTAGE CRISIS ESCALATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006507 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2014 TAGS: PTER ASEC JO IQ SUBJECT: JORDAN-IRAQ HOSTAGE CRISIS ESCALATES REF: A. AMMAN 6456 ¶B. AMMAN 6370 Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Jordanian officials on August 3 confirmed that yet another Jordanian has been kidnapped in Iraq, bringing the total number of hostages to seven. Foreign Minister Muasher said that the government is exerting "huge" efforts to win their release, and is keeping the families apprised of developments. He added that the ministry had full names of the hostages and is in contact with all the "related parties," but he refused to divulge details. He noted that the GOJ's efforts are complicated by the fact that the kidnappers have not issued specific demands from the Jordanian government. ¶2. (U) Family members of two of the four truckers seized on July 27 told reporters they have been in contact with the purported kidnappers, who assured them of the hostages' safety (for now). Family members of Ahmad Abu Jafaar said they received several phone calls on July 31 and they were able to speak to Ahmad, who assured them he was in good hands. Dubai television reported the same day that the kidnappers of the four had telephoned the station to complain no one had contacted them to see their release and threatened to "change the treatment" of the captives. The station had aired video of a group calling itself "Death Squad of Mujahideen of Iraq" that claimed to hold the four truckers. The militants called on the Jordanian people to pressure their government to end its support for U.S. forces and for companies that deal with them to pull out. ¶3. (U) According to family members, the abductors asked them to organize a protest to show support for the armed group and its resistance against U.S. forces, which was held after Friday prayers in Irbid. According to Abu Jafaar, "We did it to help release our brothers." Al-Jazeera aired footage of an unidentified man addressing a group who were holding pictures of the kidnapped Jordanians. He said: "We know that the Islamic resistance in Iraq is an honorable Islamic resistance calling for jihad for the sake of God. We all sacrifice ourselves to pursue jihad for the sake of God. Accordingly, we ask them to release our brothers who have always served the Iraq people." ¶4. (C) Comment: While most Jordanians condemn the kidnappings of their countrymen, many nevertheless blame an unpopular U.S. occupation for the chaos in Iraq and resulting hostage situation. Expressions of empathy for the kidnappers and their cause of "resistance," as well as calls for the GOJ to scale back its support for our efforts in Iraq, may increase as the crisis drags on. ¶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. HALE