RESPONSES TO ZARQAWI'S CALL FOR JIHAD AGAINST THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003819

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2015
TAGS: PTER PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: RESPONSES TO ZARQAWI'S CALL FOR JIHAD AGAINST THE
IRAQI SHIA


Classified By: CDA David Satterfield for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

. (SBU) SUMMARY. In the wake of the September 14
terror attacks and the Zarqawi statement calling for
jihad against Iraq's Shia, Embassy has reached out to
Iraqi contacts across the religious and political
spectrum to ensure broad condemnation of violence.
Charge urged Acting Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways and
Deputy President Shaykh Ghazi al-Yawr to generate the
widest possible denunciations of the Zarqawi
statement, and each said they would do so. PolCouns
called Sunni and Shia leaders, urging the former to
condemn Zarqawi's statement and the latter to exercise
restraint. Radio reports conveyed a statement from
Grand Ayatollah SISTANI calling for calm no matter
what the provocation. Embassy contacts advise that
Sunni political parties and leaders plan statements
condemning Zarqawi. Contacts from the Sadr movement
told us that Muqtada also will urge Shia restraint.
END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On the heels of the September 14 deaths of over
180 Iraqis in 12 separate bombing attacks, an
audiotape attributed to Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi appeared on the internet calling for "all-
out war" against Shia (the term used in the audiotape
was "raidha", a pejorative term for Shia) to avenge
the fighters killed in the ongoing Tal Afar campaign.
In the audiotape, Zarqawi demanded that other
religious groups and tribes disavow the government of
Shia Prime Minister Jafari or face attack. In
response, September 15 radio news quoted Grand
Ayatollah SISTANI saying that even if half of the Shia
in Iraq are killed, the Shia would not be drawn into a
civil war.

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Charge Meets with Top Officials
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3. (C) Acting Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways told
Charge that at the September 15 cabinet meeting he had
chaired, government officials had agreed the campaign
of violence must be condemned from all sides. He said
the Cabinet agreed to ask political groups to measure
their sectarian complaints carefully. Shaways
commented that some Sunni Arab leaders - like Deputy
President Ghazi al-Yawer and Sunni Waqf leader Shaykh
Ahmed Abdulghafur Samarai'e would be helpful. Others,
like Dialog Council spokesman Saleh Mutlak and Ulema
Council head Harith ad-Dhari, would not. Charge urged
Shaways also to talk to SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-
Hakim to urge restraint among Shia and for them to
avoid retaliation.


4. (C) Charge also spoke to Shia Coalition leader
and Deputy Parliament Speaker Shahristani to express
appreciation for the Ayatollah's statement urging
restraint. Shahristani pointedly urged Charge to pass
to the Sunni clerics that the Shia community needed to
see some clear sign of Sunni Arab rejection of
Zarqawi, such as anti-Zarqawi demonstrations after the
Friday prayers on September 1. Charge said we would
pass the message but noted in the atmosphere of
violence this might be hard for them to arrange.
Charge also urged Shahristani weigh in with Shia
Islamist leadership to ensure Badr militia elements
act with restraint. Shahristani agreed this would be
important and promised to do so.


5. (C) In his conversation September 15 with Charge
and General Casey, Deputy President Ghazi al-Yawr
vigorously condemned the Zarqawi statements and the
attacks of September 14. Ghazi underlined twice that
he didn't want Zarqawi as a "step-father" for the
Iraqi Sunni Arab cause. He said he had condemned the
attacks publicly on September 14 and would do so
again. He cautioned, however, that Sunni Arab
grievances are building, and Zarqawi's message is
growing in appeal to some in the Sunni Arab community.

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Sunni Community - Mixed Messages
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6. (C) PolCouns called Sunni Waqf director Shaykh
Ahmed Abdel Ghaffur Samaraie to thank him for his
public remarks seen on al-Arabiya on the evening of
September 14 and to urge that he continue to strongly
denounce the Zarqawi statement. Samaraie said he had
appeared on seven satellite networks urging Sunni
solidarity with the Shia and denouncing the Zarqawi
statement. He appreciated our message that we would
also urge restraint on Shia militias.


7. (C) Sunni political leader Saad Al-Janabi told
Poloff that Sunni political leaders and members of the
Group of 15 will today issue a strong response
condemning Zarqawi's statement. He also stated that
he had offered office space in his fortified compound
to the IIP, the Dialogue Council and other Sunni group
who took part in negotiations on the Constitution
since they had been specifically targeted by Zarqawi.

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Sunni Arabs Also Have Grievances
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8. (C) PolCouns called senior Iraqi Islamic Party
official Naseer al-Ani to thank him for the party's
public denunciation of the September 14 attacks but
urging that the IIP issue a statement denouncing the
Zarqawi call for jihad against the Shia. Al-Ani said
the IIP's position on the need for Iraqi solidarity
was well known and had been seen on satellite
television stations that day. PolCouns countered that
Party General Secretary Tareq al-Hashimi's September
14 evening appearance on al-Jazeera was not all
helpful. He condemned "all violence," without
specifically condemning Sunni on Shia attacks, and his
remarks about Iraqi Government and American support
for "ethnic cleansing" of Sunni Arabs was very
unhelpful. PolCouns emphasized the IIP needed to speak
clearly in denouncing Zarqawi. Al-Ani said that Adnan
Dulaymi and the Sunni Arab leadership are meeting to
decide on a public statement. He was sure it would
include a denunciation of the Zarqawi remarks.


9. (C) Former Sunni Waqf leader Adnan al-Dulaimi held
a press conference September 15 in which he condemned
the September 14 violence. "We're against anyone who
threatens Shia or Sunni" but he did not mention
Zarqawi. When asked by PolOff why he did not mention
Zarqawi, Dulaimi said, "We are as afraid as the Shia
of Zarqawi."


10. (C) Iraqi Council of National Dialogue (ICND)
member and Constitution Committee expert Dr. Saadoon
al-Zubaidi told PolOff Sep 15 that while many in the
ICND have or will condemn the bombings, tribal and
provincial members are hesitant to do so. "They think
Zarqawi is too powerful in the provinces, and they are
afraid to publicly disagree with him." PolOff urged
the ICND to ensure the broadest possible Sunni
condemnation of the bombings saying that silence
implies agreement.

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Shia Response - Good Words
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11. (C) PolCouns called Haithem al-Hasani, the
personal aide to SCIRI leader Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, as
Badr Organization director Hadi al-Ameri was not
available. PolCouns noted that Sunni Arab leaders
have denounced the attacks in some instances and have
pledged to do so in others. He pressed for Badr Corps
restraint. Hasani at first denied to PolCouns that
the Badr Corps is not involved in any killings.
PolCouns insisted this was not the time to argue and
insisted Hasani pass the message. He said he would do
so.


12. (U) Sources in the Sadr movement told Poloffs that
Muqtada Al-Sadr will issue a statement condemning the
call for jihad and encouraging calm within the Shia
community later today or tomorrow.
Satterfield