WASIT UIA MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HILLAH 000020 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR IZ SUBJECT: WASIT UIA MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES: SELECTED BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION HILLAH 00000020 001.2 OF 002 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Wasit province was allocated eight seats in the December 15, 2005 elections to the Council of Representatives(CoR). The United Iraqi Alliance (ballot number 555) received seven of the eight seats. Biographical information follows for six of the seven UIA/555 members in the CoR. END SUMMARY. -------------- MOHAMMED IZELDINE MUTTAR AL-KHATEEB -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Male, 34. Al-Khateeb currently serves as Deputy Governor of Wasit, though he has indicated he will resign the post after he takes his position in the CoR. Born in 1972 in Al-Kut, he earned a degree in accounting from Al-Musensiriyah University in Baghdad in 1996. Thereafter, he was employed as an accountant at a perfume company in Al-Aziziyah, Wasit province. ¶3. (SBU) Al-Khateeb entered politics as candidate on the "Wasit Gathering of Elites" slate (affiliated with the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and Badr Organization) in the January 2005 Provincial Council elections. In April 2005, the Provincial Council appointed him Deputy Governor. ¶4. (SBU) Al-Khateeb is related to the SCIRI Transitional National Assembly member Habeeb Al-Khateeb. Mohammed Al-Khateeb was a surprise choice for the number one slot on the UIA/555 slate in Wasit, and was selected for the position against the wishes of Wasit SCIRI chief Ahmed Al-Hakim. According to Al-Khateeb, one reason for his selection was the intervention on his behalf by TNA Deputy President Hussein Al-Sharistani. Al-Sharistani reportedly shared a prison cell for four years with Al-Khateeb's father, who was later executed. Mohammed Al-Khateeb is married with three children. Despite his youth, he is a widely respected figure in the province, due largely to the pious reputation of his father. -------------- DR. HUSSEIN AMIR RADHI -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Male, 38. Radhi occupied the second position on the UIA/555 list and is the leading Sadrist in the Wasit CoR delegation. Radhi has no known previous political experience. Until 2003, Radhi served as a doctor in the Iraqi Army and commanded the Al Karam'mah Military Hospital in Kut. This position was generally reserved for upper mid-level Ba'ath Party members, though Radhi's own membership in the Ba'ath Party has not been confirmed. ¶6. (SBU) Radhi is extremely reluctant to communicate with representatives of the USG. Several planned appointments have fallen through at the last minute after he was reportedly ordered to cancel the meetings at the behest of higher-ranking Sadrists in the province. Radhi is married with three children. -------------- MIKBAL KHALEEL GANI ABID AL-HADI -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Female, age unknown. Al-Hadi was listed third on the UIA/555 slate and is the only Wasit Badr Organization representative to be elected to the CoR. She lived in Iran from 1980 to 2003 and is married to an Iranian citizen. It is unclear whether she is a member of Badr Organization or was merely asked by Badr to fill a slot on the ballot reserved for female candidates. She appears in public with her face completely veiled. -------------- NEM'MAH SALMAN ABBAS KAREEM AL-MAYAHI -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Male, 39. Al-Mayahi is also known as Abu Sadik Al Mayahi. He was listed fourth on the UIA/555 slate and is a member of the Dawa (Iraq) party. Al-Mayahi is originally from the town of Al-Hay. He has consistently refused to meet with representatives of the USG. He is known for his aggressive rhetoric against Coalition Forces in Wasit and is openly critical of provincial officials who cooperate with Coalition Forces and civilian USG personnel. He publicly supported Sadrist attacks on CPA offices in Najaf and Al-Kut in 2004. Al-Mayahi is married. -------------- BASIM SHARIF NUSSAIF AL-HEJAMY -------------- HILLAH 00000020 002.2 OF 002 ¶9. (SBU) Male, 43. Fifth candidate on the UIA/555 list and an Al-Fadilah party member. He was elected to the Transitional National Assembly in 2005. Al-Hejamy is a practicing physician. He holds several degrees in medicine, surgery, immunology and microbiology from the University of Mosul. Al-Hejamy entered politics as a local council member in Al-Suwerah, Wasit province, and was elected to the Provincial Council in January, ¶2005. He is married with five children. -------------- MAJEED KHAIRAHLLAH RAHI -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Male, 35. Seventh Candidate on the UIA/555 list. Rahi is not formally affiliated with any of the UIA/555 constituent parties, though he was asked to stand for election by representatives of SCIRI. Rahi is Dean of the Wasit College of Education and Chair of the Arabic Department. Born in 1971, he has two degrees from the College of Education at Baghdad University and a doctorate from Qadisiyah University. ANDERSON