Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4341
2005-10-21 14:16:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
SADDAM TRIAL DEFENSE COUNSEL KILLED
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004341
SIPDIS
CIA PASS TO SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR FOR WAR CRIMES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: SADDAM TRIAL DEFENSE COUNSEL KILLED
Classified By: Charge d,Affaires David Satterfield for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004341
SIPDIS
CIA PASS TO SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR FOR WAR CRIMES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: SADDAM TRIAL DEFENSE COUNSEL KILLED
Classified By: Charge d,Affaires David Satterfield for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (S) SUMMARY: Sa'adoun Sughaiyer al-Janabi, defense counsel
for Awad Al-Bandar (Black Lister Number 84) was found dead at
Firdos Mosque in the Ur section of Baghdad on 20 October 2005
after his abduction the evening before. According to
preliminary reports from his son and wife, there were signs
of torture. He was shot four times: twice in the head and
twice in the chest. In response, Dr. Laith Kubba of the
Office of the Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Interior
Ali Ghalib pledged the full support of the GOI as the Higher
Criminal Court of Iraq (HCCI) continues to make appropriate
security arrangements with defense counsel. END SUMMARY.
--------------
ATTORNEY ABDUCTED FROM HIS OFFICE
--------------
2. (S) Sa'adoun was kidnapped from his office in the Al-Wafa
Building in Al Shab City in Baghdad at approximately 2000
local time on Thursday, 20 October.
3. (S) According to an Iraqi government official, shortly
before the abduction, a blue Kia Sofia with a man wearing a
blue suit and no tie was parked in front of Sa'adoun's
office. The man from the Kia then entered the office
building. Within 3-5 minutes, 20 gunmen (18 of whom were
masked) drove up in two Toyota pick-up trucks, blocked the
road, and threatened to shoot any passersby who interfered.
Two unmasked gunmen -- one clean-shaven, one lightly bearded
-- entered the building and reemerged with Sa'adoun,
handcuffed.
4. (S) An HCCI official and a Regime Crimes Liaison's Office
(RCLO) consultant spoke with Sa'adoun's wife and two sons
shortly after the abduction. The older son, Salam, is a
Major in the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Intelligence
Department. His immediate superior is Hassan Ali Kemal.
Salam claims that the family does not have enemies but that
he had received threats because of his work with the MOI.
Salam said that the abduction took about ten to twelve
minutes. (NOTE: Salam got his information from a dentist who
has a clinic in the Al-Wafa Building; the dentist called the
family on Sa'adoun's phone, which had been left behind. END
NOTE.) Salam received a call from his family and went with
members of MOI Police to Sa'adoun's office, where they spoke
to two people. One was a client of Sa'adoun named Moyed
(NFI),who lives near the office. He said that the gunmen
arrived in two Toyota pickup trucks, armed with AK-47s and
Glocks. Eight of the gunmen went into the law office,
according to Moyed, and one of them had a limp. Moyed added
that one of the gunmen whipped Sa'adoun with a pistol and put
Sa'adoun (blindfolded) in one pickup and his briefcase in the
other. Salam said that nothing was taken from the office.
-------------- --
SA'ADOUN EXECUTED WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF ABDUCTION
-------------- --
5. (S) According to Salam, Sa'adoun's body was found at 2030
on 20 October. Salam reported that the corpse was found in a
location "near where executed persons" have been found in the
past. Salam added that he believes Sa'adoun was killed by a
"terrorist group."
6. (S) On 21 October the body of Sa'adoun Al-Janabi was
brought to the Forensic Medicine Institute. The people who
brought the body said that it was found at the Firdos Mosque
in the Ur neighborhood of Baghdad. (NOTE. This is not the
mosque in Firdos Square. END NOTE.) An HCCI official has
told us that this mosque is known as a Wahhabi mosque. The
body had at least four bullet wounds, two in the head and two
in the heart. There were signs of torture, and the handcuffs
were still on his wrists. All of his papers and other
personal effects were taken from him. (NOTE. This is
information directly from the son and not corroborated at
this point. END NOTE.)
--------------
BACKGROUND ON SA'ADOUN
--------------
7. (S) Sa'adoun's home address is al-Maghrib Street, Lane
306, House 16, Street 23, in the Al Adamiyah section of
Baghdad, near the Khayal Hospital.
8. (S) Sa'adoun, a Sunni, was the former mayor of Diyala.
According to a GOI official, he was also a member of the
Intelligence Office in Diyala and was a Branch Member of the
Ba'ath Party. He was co-counsel to Awad Hamed Al-Bandar.
Al-Bandar's other attorney is Al-Bandar's own son, Badr Awad
Hamed Al-Bandar. Sa'adoun was the defense counsel chosen by
the other defense attorneys to make a five-minute
presentation of the defense objections. During the trial he
was sitting in the front row of defense counsel in the seat
closest to the judges. He had agreed that his face could
appear on camera.
-------------- --------------
HCCI, GOI, AND RCLO CONTACT WITH COUNSEL'S FAMILY
-------------- --------------
9. (S) Several RCLO personnel have remained in contact with
Sa'adoun's wife and son since the abduction and killing.
Both the Regime Crimes Liaison (RCL) and Ali Shaker, the HCCI
Administrator, have spoken personally with Sa'adoun's son,
Salam, expressing sympathies of the USG and the HCCI.
10. (S) On 21 October, Dr. Laith Kubba of the Office of the
Prime Minister spoke directly with Salam to express his
condolences and pledge the full support of the GOI.
--------------
HCCI, GOI, AND RCLO RESPONSE
--------------
11. (S) The HCCI and the GOI have agreed to take a number of
actions urged by RCLO. According to Kubba, the GOI will issue
a press release stating that it condemns the killing and
pledging increased security for all HCCI participants. Kubba
stated to the RCL that the GOI is standing by to assist with
security measures as the HCCI contacts defense counsel to
determine their preferences.
12. (S) According to Ali Shaker, the HCCI also will issue a
statement condemning the killing and emphasizing the crucial
role played by defense counsel.
13. (S) At a meeting attended by Ali Shaker and the RCL,
Deputy Minister of Interior Ali Ghalib stated, correctly,
that the defense counsel had not asked the MOI or the HCCI
for protection and that Sa'adoun had not taken steps to
protect himself. Ali Ghalib pledged the full support of MOI
to protect defense counsel. He said that MOI would provide
security for defense counsel homes and would provide
transportation, as requested.
14. (S) Ali Shaker told Ali Ghalib that the HCCI would
contact each defense attorney and determine whether the
attorney would accept MOI protection.
15. (S) With respect to the planned Sunday, 23 October HCCI
proceeding involving the interview of a witness, the HCCI
stated that it will provide additional security for defense
counsel and the hearing will proceed.
Satterfield
SIPDIS
CIA PASS TO SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR FOR WAR CRIMES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: SADDAM TRIAL DEFENSE COUNSEL KILLED
Classified By: Charge d,Affaires David Satterfield for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (S) SUMMARY: Sa'adoun Sughaiyer al-Janabi, defense counsel
for Awad Al-Bandar (Black Lister Number 84) was found dead at
Firdos Mosque in the Ur section of Baghdad on 20 October 2005
after his abduction the evening before. According to
preliminary reports from his son and wife, there were signs
of torture. He was shot four times: twice in the head and
twice in the chest. In response, Dr. Laith Kubba of the
Office of the Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Interior
Ali Ghalib pledged the full support of the GOI as the Higher
Criminal Court of Iraq (HCCI) continues to make appropriate
security arrangements with defense counsel. END SUMMARY.
--------------
ATTORNEY ABDUCTED FROM HIS OFFICE
--------------
2. (S) Sa'adoun was kidnapped from his office in the Al-Wafa
Building in Al Shab City in Baghdad at approximately 2000
local time on Thursday, 20 October.
3. (S) According to an Iraqi government official, shortly
before the abduction, a blue Kia Sofia with a man wearing a
blue suit and no tie was parked in front of Sa'adoun's
office. The man from the Kia then entered the office
building. Within 3-5 minutes, 20 gunmen (18 of whom were
masked) drove up in two Toyota pick-up trucks, blocked the
road, and threatened to shoot any passersby who interfered.
Two unmasked gunmen -- one clean-shaven, one lightly bearded
-- entered the building and reemerged with Sa'adoun,
handcuffed.
4. (S) An HCCI official and a Regime Crimes Liaison's Office
(RCLO) consultant spoke with Sa'adoun's wife and two sons
shortly after the abduction. The older son, Salam, is a
Major in the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Intelligence
Department. His immediate superior is Hassan Ali Kemal.
Salam claims that the family does not have enemies but that
he had received threats because of his work with the MOI.
Salam said that the abduction took about ten to twelve
minutes. (NOTE: Salam got his information from a dentist who
has a clinic in the Al-Wafa Building; the dentist called the
family on Sa'adoun's phone, which had been left behind. END
NOTE.) Salam received a call from his family and went with
members of MOI Police to Sa'adoun's office, where they spoke
to two people. One was a client of Sa'adoun named Moyed
(NFI),who lives near the office. He said that the gunmen
arrived in two Toyota pickup trucks, armed with AK-47s and
Glocks. Eight of the gunmen went into the law office,
according to Moyed, and one of them had a limp. Moyed added
that one of the gunmen whipped Sa'adoun with a pistol and put
Sa'adoun (blindfolded) in one pickup and his briefcase in the
other. Salam said that nothing was taken from the office.
-------------- --
SA'ADOUN EXECUTED WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF ABDUCTION
-------------- --
5. (S) According to Salam, Sa'adoun's body was found at 2030
on 20 October. Salam reported that the corpse was found in a
location "near where executed persons" have been found in the
past. Salam added that he believes Sa'adoun was killed by a
"terrorist group."
6. (S) On 21 October the body of Sa'adoun Al-Janabi was
brought to the Forensic Medicine Institute. The people who
brought the body said that it was found at the Firdos Mosque
in the Ur neighborhood of Baghdad. (NOTE. This is not the
mosque in Firdos Square. END NOTE.) An HCCI official has
told us that this mosque is known as a Wahhabi mosque. The
body had at least four bullet wounds, two in the head and two
in the heart. There were signs of torture, and the handcuffs
were still on his wrists. All of his papers and other
personal effects were taken from him. (NOTE. This is
information directly from the son and not corroborated at
this point. END NOTE.)
--------------
BACKGROUND ON SA'ADOUN
--------------
7. (S) Sa'adoun's home address is al-Maghrib Street, Lane
306, House 16, Street 23, in the Al Adamiyah section of
Baghdad, near the Khayal Hospital.
8. (S) Sa'adoun, a Sunni, was the former mayor of Diyala.
According to a GOI official, he was also a member of the
Intelligence Office in Diyala and was a Branch Member of the
Ba'ath Party. He was co-counsel to Awad Hamed Al-Bandar.
Al-Bandar's other attorney is Al-Bandar's own son, Badr Awad
Hamed Al-Bandar. Sa'adoun was the defense counsel chosen by
the other defense attorneys to make a five-minute
presentation of the defense objections. During the trial he
was sitting in the front row of defense counsel in the seat
closest to the judges. He had agreed that his face could
appear on camera.
-------------- --------------
HCCI, GOI, AND RCLO CONTACT WITH COUNSEL'S FAMILY
-------------- --------------
9. (S) Several RCLO personnel have remained in contact with
Sa'adoun's wife and son since the abduction and killing.
Both the Regime Crimes Liaison (RCL) and Ali Shaker, the HCCI
Administrator, have spoken personally with Sa'adoun's son,
Salam, expressing sympathies of the USG and the HCCI.
10. (S) On 21 October, Dr. Laith Kubba of the Office of the
Prime Minister spoke directly with Salam to express his
condolences and pledge the full support of the GOI.
--------------
HCCI, GOI, AND RCLO RESPONSE
--------------
11. (S) The HCCI and the GOI have agreed to take a number of
actions urged by RCLO. According to Kubba, the GOI will issue
a press release stating that it condemns the killing and
pledging increased security for all HCCI participants. Kubba
stated to the RCL that the GOI is standing by to assist with
security measures as the HCCI contacts defense counsel to
determine their preferences.
12. (S) According to Ali Shaker, the HCCI also will issue a
statement condemning the killing and emphasizing the crucial
role played by defense counsel.
13. (S) At a meeting attended by Ali Shaker and the RCL,
Deputy Minister of Interior Ali Ghalib stated, correctly,
that the defense counsel had not asked the MOI or the HCCI
for protection and that Sa'adoun had not taken steps to
protect himself. Ali Ghalib pledged the full support of MOI
to protect defense counsel. He said that MOI would provide
security for defense counsel homes and would provide
transportation, as requested.
14. (S) Ali Shaker told Ali Ghalib that the HCCI would
contact each defense attorney and determine whether the
attorney would accept MOI protection.
15. (S) With respect to the planned Sunday, 23 October HCCI
proceeding involving the interview of a witness, the HCCI
stated that it will provide additional security for defense
counsel and the hearing will proceed.
Satterfield