MCNS - AUGUST 27

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003205 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINS PNAT PREL PTER MOPS IZ SUBJECT: MCNS - AUGUST 27 REF: A. BAGHDAD 3157 ¶B. BAGHDAD 2991 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel V. Speckhard for Reasons 1.4 (b ) and (d). ¶1. (S//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY: At the Ministerial Council for National Security (MCNS) on August 27, Prime Minister Maliki suggested that the looting of a former British base in Maysan province created a "public perception of defeat" that must be analyzed. The Baghdad Security Plan is progressing, with casualties down. The PM strongly supported a new element, where a variety of barriers will be constructed around Baghdad to hinder entry and exit of terrorists. A new policy for security operations at mosques was adopted that clarifies the authority of the Ministers of Defense and Interior to order their forces to enter mosques. If people are killed in or from mosques, the PM supports Iraqi Security Forces promptly going into the mosque to seize the killers. A new intelligence organization called the "Office of Information to Combat Terrorism" now has 17 offices in Iraq, but MCNS members do not know who supports this group and asked for an investigation. Deputy Prime Minister Saleh announced his support for BSP's economic aspects, and instructed the Finance Minister to increase Baghdad's city budget. Prime Minister Maliki seemed very confident and in charge, and appeared to take ownership of both the BSP and the "Baghdad Berm" aspect of BSP Phase II. END SUMMARY ¶2. (S//REL GBR AUS) Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki chaired the MCNS on Sunday, August 27 to hear an update on Phase II of the Baghdad Security Plan and discuss other issues. Present for the Iraqis were Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, Minister of Defense (MOD) Abdul Qader al-Mufraji, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Finance (MOF) Baqir Jabr al-Zubaydi (aka Bayan Jabr),Justice Minister Hashim al-Shibli, Minister of Interior (MOI) Jawad al-Bolani, National Security Advisor (NSA) Dr. Mowaffak Rubaie, Minister of State for National Security Shirwan Wa'ili, and Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) Director General Muhammad al-Shawani. The Coalition was represented by Charge d'Affaires Daniel Speckhard, MNF-I Commanding General George Casey, newly-arrived UK Ambassador Dominic Asquith, MNF-I Deputy Commanding General LTG Robert Fry (UK) and Pol-Mil Counselor (notetaker). PIC for Thi Qar Province and the Maysan "Looting" Incident -------------- -------------- ¶3. (S//REL GBR AUS) The PM, referred to an incident at Camp Abu Naji ("CAN") near Amarah, Maysan Province where armed local nationals rushed past an Iraqi Army battalion and looted CAN. MCNS debated blame for the looting incident. The NSA asserted that a letter from the UK Embassy stated that CAN would be turned over on September 15, but no one else was aware of this letter. The MCNS agreed that the Iraqi public saw this incident as a defeat for the Coalition Forces, and was a bad precedent. General Casey pointed out that the British redeployment to another location within Maysan Province had been coordinated with the Iraqi Army. He urged the GOI to hold responsible those Maysan people who mortared and looted CAN. The PM closed by suggesting an investigation of the CAN looting incident to avoid repeat incidents. Baghdad Security Plan Phase II; Thinking About Next Steps -------------- -------------- ¶4. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Prime Minister was pleased at the BSP's progress and the prospect that the Baghdad berm would funnel terrorists through check points , increase potential for movement surveillance, and hinder their operations (ref B). The goal is to finish by the beginning of Ramadan, around September 24. Noting charges that the Iraqi Police (IP) staffing check points have cooperated with terrorists, the Prime Minister proposed that both the Iraqi Army (IA), which is better regarded by the public, and the IP jointly staff the check points, perhaps with Coalition Force representation by military police. The MCNS also supported the emergency purchase of more explosives detection machines to expedite the passage of motorists through the check points. The MOD said that once Phase II of clearing inner Baghdad had finished, MOD would start planning the next steps to secure Baghdad's outer suburbs where terrorists have VBIED factories and have launched mortars and rockets into the city. The MCNS welcomed statistics showing a decline in deaths in Baghdad, and urged continued aggressive action to keep the terrorists on the defensive. BAGHDAD 00003205 002 OF 002 New Policy Toward Mosques -------------- ¶5. (S//REL GBR AUS) The NSA proposed a new policy to govern Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) entry into mosques when terrorists were using them for illegal activities. (Note: PowerPoint slides describing the policy forwarded to NEA/Iraq - Pol-Mil Unit.) The policy established two standard operating procedures - planned operations raiding specific mosques, and emergency responses by ISF to threats from a mosque. A media campaign will stress Iraqi religious leaders' joint condemnation of violence including use of holy places in order to counteract terrorist propaganda used to incite sectarian violence. Foreign Minister Zebari urged the GOI to give guidance to preachers on acceptable topics for Friday sermons with the threat of withholding their monthly stipend from the Waqf (Islamic Endowment) to persuade them to cease sermons favoring the anti-Iraqi Government terrorists. The PM said that mosques should be respected as holy place as much as possible, and the ISF should not raid unless the mosque authorities are notified. That said, he declared the GOI policy clear that if people are being killed or terrorists are firing from inside the mosque, then the ISF can immediately go into a mosque after the killers. Both MOI and MOD endorsed this policy for their respective Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army charges. What is the "Office of Information to Combat Terrorism"? -------------- -------------- ¶6. (S//REL GBR AUS) MSNS Shirwan noted that 17 offices of the Office of Information to Combat Terrorism (OICT) had been identified recently, including one in Baghdad's Mansour District, and another in Diwaniyah in Qadisiyah Province. Shirwan said the OICT offices are staffed by "volunteers", but the offices are in office buildings, and police keep other cars from parking in lots designated for OICT cars, suggesting some official affiliation. No one knows who is behind the OICT. Some MCNS members speculated that Deputy Prime Minister Zubai (who was not present) is behind this apparently "parallel intelligence organization," while others believed former Minister of State for National Security, Abdul Karim Ali Al-Anzi is pulling the strings. The NSA suggested that Shirwan be asked to investigate and report back. Supporting the BSP with GOI Expenditures -------------- ¶7. (S//REL GBR AUS) Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said that he and the Minister of Finance, Bayan Jabr, had discussed increasing the central government's budget allocation to the City of Baghdad by USDOLS 250 million, and that a meeting would be held the following day with the Minister of Planning on how best to support the economic aspects of the BSP. The PM welcomed this news, saying, "Bring me an approved project supporting the BSP, and I'll give you the budget allocation for it." He urged greater focus of economic support projects on those areas of Baghdad that have been cleared by the IA and CF. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (S//REL GBR AUS) During this meeting, the PM seemed much more in charge and willing to assert his authority. He was more adept at summarizing discussion, confirming a consensus on decisions, and then moving the focus to the next agenda item. Particularly interesting is that he appeared to have taken ownership of the BSP, and spoke of the Baghdad Berm project almost as if he had conceived of the idea himself. He appeared to have much greater confidence in his ability to use his forces, both army and police, to achieve the goal of tamping down terrorism. SPECKHARD