C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000161

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MEMBER DEPLORES SECURITY
SITUATION


CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b)


1. (C) Summary: On October 15, the Regional Coordinator (RC)
and poloff met with Basrah Provincial Council (BPC) member Sayed
Ghali Nujem Mutar. The discussion focused on the miserable
security situation in Basrah and the ineffectiveness of the
security committee led by General Ali al-Hammadi and Operation
Sinbad. Sayed Ghali also warned the RC about an Iranian-funded
group in Basrah whose focus is to attack Coalition bases and
personnel. End Summary.


2. (C) The RC and poloff met with BPC member Sayed Ghali Nujem
Mutar on October 15 to discuss the security situation in Basrah.
(Note: Sayed Ghali is the former head of the Iraqi National
Accord in Basrah and the current Chairman of the Basrah
Provincial Reconstruction and Development Committee. End note.)
Sayed Ghali confirmed that on October 7 he survived a second
assassination attempt; one bodyguard was killed and four others
wounded. According to him, he is under constant threat by Sayed
al-Shuhadaa and Jaysh al-Mahdi, and have attempted to
assassinate him twice (the first one occurred in late July)
because they view him as "an agent of the United States."
Despite these attempts, Sayed Ghali stressed the importance of
continued engagement with both the REO and the British for the
future of Basrah and Iraq.


3. (C) Sayed Ghali criticized the Basrah security committee led
by General Ali al-Hammadi and said that Hammadi was weak. He
described Hammadi as a "talker" who fails to act. Sayed Ghali
opined that both the security committee and Operation Sinbad are
ineffective since assassinations and terrorist operations
continue unabated. He said that the security committee members
know who the perpetrators are, but they are afraid or unwilling
to share that information with Coalition Forces. Sayed Ghali
said that the continued assassinations, indirect fire and
improvised explosive devices are inciting increased hatred of
the coalition since many in Basrah blame them for the violence.
When asked about the presence of Coalition Forces in Basrah, he
replied that it would be a disaster if they were to withdraw.
He remarked that the appropriate time for the Coalition Forces
to leave would be when a strong government is established.


4. (C) Sayed Ghali also warned the RC that "there is something
dangerous working against you" in Basrah. Though unable or
unwilling to articulate further, he claimed that Iran is
training and supplying with sophisticated weaponry an
organization called the "Popular Group" that plans to attack
Coalition elements in Basrah. He said that suicide bombers were
part of this group. Sayed Ghali repeatedly warned the RC that
the REO should be alert and take the necessary precautions for
its defense.


5. (C) Comment: Sayed Ghali is a frequent REO contact and
firmly believes in the importance of continued Coalition
presence and engagement. Although he has survived two
assassination attempts on his life, he is a willing partner and
advocate for the coalition. He would relish closer contact with
the coalition, including funding for educational programs he
says are necessary to curtail the influence of the religious
parties. End Comment.

GROSS