Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD1010
2006-03-27 12:04:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
ABDUCTION AND DEATH: ONE STORY TO ADD TO THE REST
how-toVZCZCXRO2634 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHGB #1010 0861204 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 271204Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3576 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001010
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2026
TAGS: PHUM PTER PNAT KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION AND DEATH: ONE STORY TO ADD TO THE REST
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001010
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2026
TAGS: PHUM PTER PNAT KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION AND DEATH: ONE STORY TO ADD TO THE REST
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) In a March 22 conversation, Baghdad resident
Mo'ayyad Al-Hamdani told PolOff that three of his
brothers-in-law visiting from Diyala were stopped at a
Sadr-City Jaysh al-Mehdi (JAM) checkpoint March 15,
and were found in the morgue 4 days later (March 19).
Al-Hamdani, who is also a news editor of Al-Zawara
television station, said that these relatives were
detained after visiting Sadr City friends whom they
knew from their time as vendors in the Jamila market.
Unaware that the JAM had established checkpoints in
Sadr City, they were immediately detained when they
presented identification showing their Sunni Arab
tribal name al-Duleimi. They were driven away from
the checkpoint and found several days later on March
19 in the morgue with their eyes removed and evidence
of drilling torture. (NOTE: al-Hamdani did not
present evidence of the torture. END NOTE)
2. (S) Al-Hamdani said that the merchant friends in
Sadr City immediately called his family once they saw
the JAM take the brothers-in-law away. The Sadr City
residents told his family that the three were taken
into the Abil Muhsin Mosque near the Muthaffar
roundabout near where they were stopped. Al-Hamdani
was unclear whether the friends personally saw the
three being taken into the mosque.
3. (S) Because of his position as a news editor, Al-
Hamdani says that he was able to make several contacts
to ask about the well-being of his relatives.
Unwilling to disclose his sources, al-Hamdani alleged
that Sheikh Abd al-Hadi al Daraji was in charge of the
Abil Muhsin Mosque which he claims doubles as a sharia
court. Although he says that he was unable to exert
enough influence to prevent his family members from
being executed, his checking around resulted in an
unknown person calling him directly March 19 to let
him know that the bodies would be deposited in the
morgue that same day. Despite the tortured state in
which he said he found the bodies, Al-Hamdani told
PolOff that he considered that call to be a courtesy
performed because of his contacts within the Shia
community.
KHALILZAD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2026
TAGS: PHUM PTER PNAT KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION AND DEATH: ONE STORY TO ADD TO THE REST
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) In a March 22 conversation, Baghdad resident
Mo'ayyad Al-Hamdani told PolOff that three of his
brothers-in-law visiting from Diyala were stopped at a
Sadr-City Jaysh al-Mehdi (JAM) checkpoint March 15,
and were found in the morgue 4 days later (March 19).
Al-Hamdani, who is also a news editor of Al-Zawara
television station, said that these relatives were
detained after visiting Sadr City friends whom they
knew from their time as vendors in the Jamila market.
Unaware that the JAM had established checkpoints in
Sadr City, they were immediately detained when they
presented identification showing their Sunni Arab
tribal name al-Duleimi. They were driven away from
the checkpoint and found several days later on March
19 in the morgue with their eyes removed and evidence
of drilling torture. (NOTE: al-Hamdani did not
present evidence of the torture. END NOTE)
2. (S) Al-Hamdani said that the merchant friends in
Sadr City immediately called his family once they saw
the JAM take the brothers-in-law away. The Sadr City
residents told his family that the three were taken
into the Abil Muhsin Mosque near the Muthaffar
roundabout near where they were stopped. Al-Hamdani
was unclear whether the friends personally saw the
three being taken into the mosque.
3. (S) Because of his position as a news editor, Al-
Hamdani says that he was able to make several contacts
to ask about the well-being of his relatives.
Unwilling to disclose his sources, al-Hamdani alleged
that Sheikh Abd al-Hadi al Daraji was in charge of the
Abil Muhsin Mosque which he claims doubles as a sharia
court. Although he says that he was unable to exert
enough influence to prevent his family members from
being executed, his checking around resulted in an
unknown person calling him directly March 19 to let
him know that the bodies would be deposited in the
morgue that same day. Despite the tortured state in
which he said he found the bodies, Al-Hamdani told
PolOff that he considered that call to be a courtesy
performed because of his contacts within the Shia
community.
KHALILZAD