NINE IRANIAN DETAINEES RELEASED NOVEMBER 9

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003703

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2017
TAGS: IR IZ PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER
SUBJECT: NINE IRANIAN DETAINEES RELEASED NOVEMBER 9

REF: A. A) BAGHDAD 00150

B. B) BAGHDAD 03638

Classified By: Pol-Mil Minister-Counselor Marcie B. Ries for reasons 1.
5 b and d


1. (SBU) BAGHDAD ) Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I)
released nine Iranian detainees at approximately 0900 (local)
Friday, November 9 to the custody of the Government of Iraq
(GOI). Two of the nine were part of the five suspected Qods
force members detained January 11 by Coalition Forces in
Erbil, AKA "The Erbil Five" (Ref. A). The GOI then turned
over the nine to the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq. MNF-I will
publish a routine press statement noting the release.


2. (U) The detainees released today are:
-Adil Wusayn Shamarad Muhammad,
-Azzam Hasan Karam Abd,
-Habib Muhammad Ghuribani Kurdi,
-Ibrahim Mahmud Ahmed AKA al-Kubady al-Ubaydi,
-Jafan Allah,
-Mohammad Ali Abbas al-Buzuda,
-Raed Abdurehman Hussain al-Kobadi,
-Hamid Reza Asgari Shukuh, and
-Brujerd Chegini.
These last two were from the so-called Erbil Five.


3. (C) MNF-I provided further information on each of the
nine, including the reason for original detention:

-Adil Wusayn Shamarad Muhammad; Date Captured: Feb. 20,
2006; Coalition Forces captured Wusayn during a raid to
disrupt al-Qaeda operations in Iraq. He was believed to be
involved in providing support for Foreign Fighter attacks
against Coalition Forces and to have associations with Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi in al-Tash.
-Azzam Hasan Karam Abd; Date Captured: Feb. 20, 2006;
Hasan was captured by Coalition Forces during a raid to
disrupt al-Qaeda operations in Iraq. Evidence seized at the
capture site and Hasan,s statements indicated he had
knowledge of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi terrorist operations in
al-Tash.
-Habib Muhammad Ghuribani Kurdi; Date Captured: not
indicated; Muhammad was captured during an
intelligence-driven raid aimed at capturing a senior
insurgent. He was found at the location of this known
insurgent group and he later acknowledged having information
about foreign fighters.
-Ibrahim Mahmud Ahmed AKA al-Kubady al-Ubaydi; Date Captured:
Apr. 8, 2005; Mahmud was captured by Coalition Forces during
a raid in Ramadi.
-Jafan Allah; Date Captured: not indicated; Allah turned
himself in to a border checkpoint and stated that he had
information about the activities of Iranian intelligence.
-Mohammad Ali Abbas al-Buzuda; Date Captured: May 6, 2007;
Iraqi Police arrested him in al-Qadisiyah for illegal entry
into Iraq from Iran, based on his possession of an allegedly
expired passport.
-Raed Abdurehman Hussain al-Kobadi; Date Captured: Nov.
2004; Abdurehman was captured by Coalition Forces in
Fallujah while attempting to flee the scene of a mortar
attack.
-Hamid Reza Asgari Shukuh; Date Captured: Jan. 11, 2007 in
Irbil; A suspected associate of the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps Qods Force, Asgari was captured in Erbil.
-Brujerd Chegini; Date Captured: Jan. 11, 2007; Chegini was
captured in Erbil. He was a suspected associate of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force.


4. (C) Prime Minister Maliki had been informed of MNF-I's
intention to release these nine (Ref. B) and had directed
staff to arrange their subsequent turnover to the Iranian
Ambassador. Maliki's Chief of Staff, Dr. Tariq Abdullah, was
present at the release.
CROCKER