FEBRUARY 23 MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000597

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2016
TAGS: IZ KCRM MOPS NATO PARM PGOV PINR PREL UK
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 23 MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL
SECURITY ACS ON GOLDEN MOSQUE BOMBING

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad For Reasons 1.4 (C) and (D).

(S/REL MCFI) SUMMARY: PM Jafari called a Minister,s
Committee on National Security (MCNS) meeting with the
Ambassador, UK Ambassador Patey, MNF-I Commanding General and
Deputy Commanding General, and Iraqi Security Ministers to
continue addressing the February 22 bombing of the Shia
Golden Mosque in Samarra. The GOI enacted a daytime curfew,
in addition to the nighttime one, in select provinces and
began preliminary work on a comprehensive security plan to
include broad-based public outreach to overcome sectarian
differences. Despite isolated incidents of violence, with
the imposition of the extended curfew the situation is
relatively calm in Baghdad. END SUMMARY.


2. (S/REL MCFI) Jafari called a MCNS meeting on February 23
with the Ambassador, UK Ambassador Patey, and MNF-I CG Casey
to continue developing a response to the bombing of the Shia
Golden Mosque in Samarra. Also in attendance were Minister
of Defense Dulime, Minister of Interior Jabr, Minister of
National Security al-Anzi, National Security Advisor Rubaie,
and MNF-I DCG Houghton. A smaller follow-up meeting was held
on February 24 with Jafari, the Ambassador, Duleime, Rubaie,
and Houghton.


3. (S/REL MCFI) Jafari characterized the situation as having
the potential to lead to civil war. Although some groups and
imams are urging calm, he asserted, others are being
inflammatory and are playing into the hands of the terrorists
inciting violent unrest. Therefore, according to Jafari, the
GOI must maintain order, demonstrate that it is in control,
and begin actions to unify the nation.


4. (S/REL MCFI) After discussions with Ayad Allawi, Tawaffuq
leaders and Masoud Barzani, Ambassador pushed Jafari to
consider four main proposals: establish an investigative
committee on the Askariya Shrine incident; establish a
political committee to foster national unity in the wake of
the attack; enact a security plan to include bans on public
displays of weapons; and issue specific instructions for
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to guard mosques and shrines.


5. (S/REL MCFI) After much discussion, it was decided to
enact a daytime curfew from 0600 to 1600 on Friday, February
24, and Saturday, February 25, in the provinces of Baghdad,
Diyala, Salah al-Din, and Babil. This daytime curfew would
be in conjunction with the extended nighttime curfew of 2000
to 0600 that was enacted previously. The governors of the
other provinces could decide for themselves if they should
apply these curfews to their areas. The main purpose of the
curfew is to prevent the conduct of Friday prayers that could
lead to further violence and to prevent large groups from
gathering for demonstrations.


6. (S/REL MCFI) The MCNS later adopted Ambassador,s plan to
announce the selection of broad-based committees to
investigate the Askariya Shrine bombing and to devise
outreach methods to unify the populace. Preliminary work is
underway to form these committees under the GOI's security
plan. Additional highly-publicized statements and
appearances -- to include many different sectarian blocs and
political and religious leaders -- will follow. Jafari and
his staff are planning to enlist leaders from a broad
spectrum to form a unified front in a call for calm.


6. (S/REL MCFI) The Ambassador urged Jafari to make these
announcements within a day in order to reassure the Iraqi
people as quickly as possible. Ambassador also asked to be
provided with the specifics of the security plan so that he
can use them in outreach efforts with religious and political
leaders.


7. (S/REL MCFI) A smaller group met the afternoon of February
24 with General Casey to review the planned public
announcement. After the meeting ended, Jafari gave a press
conference to announce the new security measures. The press
conference was carried live on al-Iraqiyya television and
repeated on several other stations later in the evening.
After a short preamble Jafari read the following points.

(U) Begin Embassy Translation of speech:

Orders were given to all Iraqi security forces to play a
vital and important role in this critical historic stage by
maintaining security and order. We urge the Iraqi people to

BAGHDAD 00000597 002 OF 003


cooperate with our armed forces in eradicating the terrorists
and to be vigilantly aware of the internal and external
conspiracies that surround Iraq. The presence of our armed
forces is for the safeguarding of the citizens and the
protection of their interests.

We have decided to deploy the Iraqi armed forces and increase
their presence in the areas of friction in a manner that
would achieve security and stability in those areas. We have
decided to prohibit entry and exit, into and from Baghdad
except for police vehicles, ambulances and convoys that
belong to the ministries.

We know that the imposition of curfew in some areas and at
specific times limits the freedom and movement of the
citizens; however the government sees that the curfew is
crucial to stop the terrorists from achieving their
objectives and limit their movement. We do this so we can
provide our security forces the opportunity to go after the
terrorists and to facilitate the mission of our armed forces
in protecting the citizens. Our armed forces have confidence
in the citizens and are completely aware of the reasons on
which basis we took this decision.

We also decided to form an advisory political team that is
comprised of a group of influential individuals, political
leaders, and heads of parliamentary blocs to listen to their
views concerning this crisis and to obtain their contribution
in strengthening the national unity which is subjected to
attempts aimed at weakening it by the terrorists and the
enemies of Iraq.

We have taken all the necessary security measures to protect
the holy shrines and the places of worship throughout Iraq,
especially in the areas that are made up of diverse
components, in addition to examining the possibility of
establishing a special force for their protection.

We have also taken suitable security measures to protect the
roads leading to the holy shrines and to secure them for
visitors.

For the security of the citizens and the protection of their
interests, all public show of weapons is prohibited on the
streets and carrying of weapons without permit shall be
prohibited outside of homes and shops.

In order to increase the assurance and protection of citizens
in the hot spots the Government has decided to amplify the
efforts and the security presence in guarding the areas in a
way that reinforces the citizens, trust and strengthens
security, and to reinforce all means for maintaining good
order.

The Government calls on all media and cultural agencies to
shoulder their national responsibilities at this critical
moment of our nation,s history and to play their role in
pulling together national cohesion and strengthening unity
among the one people and to stay clear from all that aims and
leads to disunity and incites terrorism and violence, and to
contribute in uncovering the plans of Iraq,s enemies in
their attempts to sow sectarian strife. To start of a new
phase, the Government calls on all venerable religious
scholars and Imams, in harmony with the responsible message
given by the leading Marja,iya and the highest national
interest, to shoulder their legal and national
responsibilities in disseminating the spirit of brotherhood,
tolerance, rejection of violence and terrorism and all that
offends the lofty values of our true religion.

The Government has communicated to the concerned judicial
authorities to move forward with the important judicial
dossiers and quickly bring the terrorists and the criminals
to justice. At the same time, the Government stressed the
need to activate the Anti-terrorism Law and to enforce it on
all.

The Government has decided to rebuild all that has been
damaged by the Samara tragedy and all the destruction that
ensued.

The Government has decided to contribute in forming an
investigative committee to uncover the reasons and the
motives of the Samara tragedy and what ensued thereafter, and
to identify the people who neglected their duties and bring

BAGHDAD 00000597 003 OF 003


them to justice, and to focus the furthermost intelligence
effort to uncover the perpetrators.
KHALILZAD