WASHINGTON POST FABRICATED STORY, ACCORDING TO SALAH AD DIN

UNCLAS KIRKUK 000010

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL ASEC IZ
SUBJECT: WASHINGTON POST FABRICATED STORY, ACCORDING TO SALAH AD DIN
GOVERNOR


1. This is a SET Tikrit telegram.

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SUMMARY
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2. A January 12 Washington Post news article describes the
Iraqi presidential palaces in Tikrit, formally known as FOB
Danger. The article claims to quote the Salah Ad Din provincial
Governor as accusing his deputy and the ISF of looting the
palace. The Governor disputes the story, saying he did not
speak to the Washington Post, nor accuse his deputy of looting.
As of December 21, when rumors of massive looting were flying,
SET officer found only relatively minor looting in palaces
handed over to Iraqi control.

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NEWS ARTICLE
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3. In a letter to the Al Sabah newspaper, Salah Ad Din Governor
Sheik Hamed Shukti disputed the January 12 Washington Post
article entitled "After Handover, Hussein Palaces Looted." On
January 14, Al Sabah printed a translation of the article.


4. Governor Hamad said he did not give an interview to the
Washington Post; however the article states it is quoting him
directly from a telephone call. The article quotes the Governor
as saying that Iraqi soldiers and even his own deputy were
responsible for looting the presidential palaces in Tikrit, just
after the handover from U.S. to Iraqi control.


5. The Governor said he would not use a foreign newspaper to
criticize the ISF or the Deputy Governor, BGen Abdullah Jabarri.
The Governor accuses the reporter of submitting a "fake
article" trying to show his neutrality while not having the full
story. The Governor then specifically said the accusations in
the story are not true.

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COMMENT
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6. These accusations were floating around Tikrit in
mid-December. SET officer toured the palaces, inside and out,
on 21 December to discover the extent of the looting. SET
officer found minor incidents of draperies and some furniture
missing. He also found a broken door and a few broken windows.
The biggest problem was many built-in air conditioners had been
stolen, with the wires left dangling. As compared to the
rumors, there was very little damage to the facilities. On
January 23, the 101 ABN Div also investigated, and found minor
damages.

BELL