IRAQI MOI SAYS INVESTIGATION INTO SITE 4 COMPLETE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003790 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE EO12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS KJUS IZ SUBJECT: IRAQI MOI SAYS INVESTIGATION INTO SITE 4 COMPLETE ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a meeting with the DCM, Minister of Interior Bolani said he had just finished his investigation of the people implicated in the abuses at Site 4. He promised to inform us of the results before announcing them publicly on October 12. He noted that as a result of the investigation he could take administrative action or authorize the execution of arrest warrants. He specified that administrative action would not preclude authorizing the execution of arrests warrants. END SUMMARY. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On June 27 an Iraqi judge issued 52 arrest warrants for people implicated in the abuses at the former Ministry of Interior detention facility known as Site 4. Bolani has so far not authorized execution of the warrants. Paragraph 136 of the Iraqi Criminal Procedure Code states that an employee of a ministry can be brought to trial for an offense committed during the performance of an official duty only with permission of the responsible minister. -------------- DCM ASKS ABOUT SITE 4 INVESTIGATION -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The DCM, accompanied by the Embassy Legal Adviser and Rule of Law coordinator, met with Minister of Interior Jawad Bolani on October 10. The DCM expressed the intent in Washington to see the GOI take actions following the abuses that had occurred at Site 4, and the importance of this in the context of the Leahy Law. ¶4. (SBU) The DCM also noted that in a meeting with the Ambassador, Bolani had promised to announce the results of his investigation into Site 4 on October 12. The DCM asked Bolani if he could tell us what he planned to say. -------------- BOLANI SAYS INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Bolani replied he had formed three committees to investigate the allegations against the people for whom arrest warrants had been issued, and that: -- The three committees had completed their work earlier in the day, but he had not yet been briefed on their findings; -- He would announce the results of the investigation when he met with Council of Representatives (COR) members on October 12. -- He would inform us of what he planned to tell the COR representatives before meeting with them. -------------- BOLANI KEEPS OPTIONS OPEN -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Asked what actions he planned to take, Bolani seemed to be keep his options open. He noted that he could authorize the execution of arrest warrants, or take administrative action such as transferring people to another job, forcing them to retire or firing them. Bolani specified that administrative action would not preclude authorizing the execution of arrest warrants. -------------- BOLANI DESCRIBES EFFORTS TO REFORM MOI -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Bolani also noted that he was determined to deal not only with Site 4 but to fight all corruption and criminality in the MOI. He said that he is the first Minister of Interior to complete a plan to reform the MOI. He added that he had reassigned "thousands" of people for improper behavior, and that in the last ten days alone, he had sent 40 people to court for prosecution. ¶8. (SBU) Bolani also complained that neither the media nor the U.S. Congress are aware of the progress he is making in reforming the MOI. The DCM replied that we would be happy to work with the Minister to help ensure that Congress and the media are well informed, and asked for additional information to be able to assist in this effort. KHALILZAD