DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS HIS BOSS NOT

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002902

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2025
TAGS: PGOV PHUM MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS HIS BOSS NOT
ADDRESSING PRISONER ABUSE ALLEGATIONS


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD.
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (S) SUMMARY: IN A MEETING AT HIS PRIVATE RESIDENCE
ON 04 JULY, IRAQI DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR FOR
INTELLIGENCE HUSSEIN ALI KAMAL REPORTED THAT MINISTER
OF INTERIOR JABR HAS REPEATEDLY IGNORED ORAL AND
WRITTEN REPORTS OF ABUSE AND TORTURE OF DETAINEES
CARRIED OUT BY UNITS OF THE SPECIAL POLICE COMMANDOS,
INCLUDING THE WOLF BRIGADE. THIS INACTIVITY
CONTRADICTS JABR'S PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PRIVATE
COMMUNICATIONS WITH USG AND COALITION PERSONNEL.
END SUMMARY.

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MEETING WITH DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INTELLIGENCE
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2. (S) BRIGADIER GENERAL EWAN DUNCAN AND IRMO/MOI
INTELLIGENCE ADVISOR JEFF MENATH MET WITH DEPUTY
MINISTER KAMAL AT HIS PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN THE
INTERNATIONAL ZONE AT 2000 HOURS ON 04 JULY. ALSO
PRESENT FROM THE IRAQI SIDE WAS BRIGADIER GENERAL
NABIL, COUNSELOR TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER, WHO
TRANSLATED.


3. (S) DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL REPEATED POINTS HE HAD
MADE PREVIOUSLY: THAT THE COMMANDOS AND PUBLIC ORDER
BATTALIONS WERE ABUSING PRISIONERS, PRIMARILY SUNNIS,
DETAINED IN THE COURSE OF OPERATION LIGHTNING (AN
ONGOING MINISTRY OF DEFENSE/MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
OPERATION IN AND AROUND BAGHDAD). KAMAL UNDERSCORED
THAT THIS ABUSE WAS BOTH WRONG AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.


4. (S) NOTE: DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL IS NOMINALLY
CHARGED WITH CONDUCTING INTERROGATIONS OF CAPTURED
FIGHTERS TO GLEAN INFORMATION USEFUL TO THE COUNTER-
INSURGENCY. HOWEVER, KAMAL CLAIMS THAT HE HAS NOT
BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO MORE THAN TOKEN NUMBERS OF
DETAINEES, AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO HIS
AUTHORITY HAVE BEEN BEATEN AND HAD NOTHING OF
INTELLIGENCE VALUE TO OFFER. END NOTE.


5. (S) DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL FURTHER SAID THAT HE HAD
GIVEN A FILE CONTAINING A WRITTEN LIST OF REPORTED
INCIDENTS OF TORTURE BY THE COMMANDOS TO MINISTER JABR
OVER TWO WEEKS AGO, ONLY TO HAVE THE LIST RETURNED
WITH THE ARABIC WORD FOR "NOTED" WRITTEN ON IT. KAMAL
SAID HE NOW HAS POSESSION OF THIS FILE AND EXPRESSED
HIS WILLINGNESS TO PASS IT TO THE COALITION.


6. (S) AT AN UPDATE BRIEFING ON OPERATION LIGHTNING
ON 05 JULY, MAJOR GENERAL ADNON, COMMANDER OF THE
SPECIAL POLICE COMMANDOS AND PUBLIC ORDER BRIGADES,
CLAIMED A "CENTRAL INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE" WAS NEEDED
TO HANDLE INTERROGATIONS OF ALL DETAINEES. OTHERS,
INCLUDING MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OFFICIALS, PICKED UP ON
THIS CALL IN SCRIPTED FASHION.

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COMMENT
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7. (S) WE INTERPRET ADNON'S CALL FOR A "CENTRAL
INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE" AS A TRANSPARENT ATTEMPT TO
PREEMPT A CONFRONTATION WITH THE COALITION OVER THE
CONDUCT OF HIS FORCES AND THEIR HANDLING OF DETAINEES
TO DATE. HOWEVER, POST CONSIDERS IT A RARE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE MUCH NEEDED INSTITUTIONAL
CHANGE. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A "CENTRAL
INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE" UNDER THE CONTROL OF DEPUTY
MINISTER KAMAL COULD FACILITATE MORE PROFESSIONAL
CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATIONS, GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF
OBTAINING ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE, AND PROPER DETAINEE
CARE.


8. (S) ALSO OF NOTE ARE MINISTER JABR'S REMARKS IN A
RECENT MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHARGE
THAT HE WAS AGAINST ABUSE OF PRISONERS BUT NEEDED
PROOF TO ACT. THIS DOES NOT SQUARE WITH THE ABOVE
REMARKS OF DEPUTY MINISTER KAMAL, WHO AS NOTED,
PRESENTED JABR WITH A WRITTEN LIST OF ABUSE BY THE
COMMANDOS WEEKS AGO. JABR HAD ALSO CLAIMED TO
POLCOUNS ON JUNE 30 THAT THERE HAD BEEN ABUSES AT THE
HANDS OF THE COMMANDOS AND THAT FIVE OFFICERS HAD BEEN
FIRED AND THREE AWAIT TRIAL. WE DO NOT YET HAVE
CONCRETE DETAILS ON THESE CASES, ALTHOUGH THE MINISTER
HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE THEM. END COMMENT.


9. (U) REO MOSUL, REO KIRKUK, REO BASRAH, REO HILLAH
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.


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