Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAGHDAD4137
2007-12-19 14:23:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
PRT MAYSAN: OFFICIAL BLAMES SHI'A, NOT AQI, FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO5701 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #4137 3531423 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 191423Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4953 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004137
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: IZ PGOV
SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN: OFFICIAL BLAMES SHI'A, NOT AQI, FOR
AMARAH BOMBINGS
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Greg D'Elia for reasons 1.4 (
b) and (d).
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004137
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: IZ PGOV
SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN: OFFICIAL BLAMES SHI'A, NOT AQI, FOR
AMARAH BOMBINGS
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Greg D'Elia for reasons 1.4 (
b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) Summary: On December 18, 2007, PRT staff met with
Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi, Advisor to the Maysan Governor, and
three senior provincial agricultural officers at Tallil Air
Base to discuss project opportunities. During lunch, one
official briefly strayed off-message and informed us that the
December 12, 2007 car bombings in al-Amarah had been carried
out by locals. This apparently sincere admission contrasted
with earlier attribution of the attack toAl Qaeda in Iraq
(AQI),possibly as part of an effort to mask deeper ongoing
internal Shi,a militia tensions that could be responsible
for the violence. End Summary.
2. (S/NF) In two separate private conversations with PRT
staff, Mr. Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi, the Governor,s close
personal assistant, told us that several of the perpetrators
had been apprehended and that they were Sunni AQI operatives
from Ramadi. He added that he had bodily felt the
explosions, which occurred about 200 meters from the
Governor,s palace. He also confirmed the reported casualty
figures of 27 dead and 150 injured.
3. (S/NF) Later, in the course of an informal lunch, we again
offered our condolences for their losses during the bombing
and asked if there had been further developments in the
identification of the attackers. One of the agricultural
experts, Mr. Talib Chassib Lafta of the Maysan Agricultural
Administration, volunteered that the bombers were actually
Shi,a from Maysan who had been paid to conduct the attack,
but that authorities were still unclear of the motive.
4. (S/NF) Comment: If Talib,s spontaneous admission is
correct, public accusations by government officials of AQI
involvement may have been intended to conceal internal Shi'a
concerns, including a fragmenting Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) or a
resurgent Badr Corps. End Comment.
CROCKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017
TAGS: IZ PGOV
SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN: OFFICIAL BLAMES SHI'A, NOT AQI, FOR
AMARAH BOMBINGS
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Greg D'Elia for reasons 1.4 (
b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) Summary: On December 18, 2007, PRT staff met with
Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi, Advisor to the Maysan Governor, and
three senior provincial agricultural officers at Tallil Air
Base to discuss project opportunities. During lunch, one
official briefly strayed off-message and informed us that the
December 12, 2007 car bombings in al-Amarah had been carried
out by locals. This apparently sincere admission contrasted
with earlier attribution of the attack toAl Qaeda in Iraq
(AQI),possibly as part of an effort to mask deeper ongoing
internal Shi,a militia tensions that could be responsible
for the violence. End Summary.
2. (S/NF) In two separate private conversations with PRT
staff, Mr. Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi, the Governor,s close
personal assistant, told us that several of the perpetrators
had been apprehended and that they were Sunni AQI operatives
from Ramadi. He added that he had bodily felt the
explosions, which occurred about 200 meters from the
Governor,s palace. He also confirmed the reported casualty
figures of 27 dead and 150 injured.
3. (S/NF) Later, in the course of an informal lunch, we again
offered our condolences for their losses during the bombing
and asked if there had been further developments in the
identification of the attackers. One of the agricultural
experts, Mr. Talib Chassib Lafta of the Maysan Agricultural
Administration, volunteered that the bombers were actually
Shi,a from Maysan who had been paid to conduct the attack,
but that authorities were still unclear of the motive.
4. (S/NF) Comment: If Talib,s spontaneous admission is
correct, public accusations by government officials of AQI
involvement may have been intended to conceal internal Shi'a
concerns, including a fragmenting Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) or a
resurgent Badr Corps. End Comment.
CROCKER