BADR-AFFILIATED MAYOR BEATEN BY SADRISTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000966 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017 TAGS: PGOV IZ SUBJECT: BADR-AFFILIATED MAYOR BEATEN BY SADRISTS (U) Classified by PRT Baghdad Team Leader Joseph Gregoire, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Badr-affiliated Baghdad Governor al-Tahan told PRToffs that his proxy in Jusr, the qa,im makam (local &mayor8),was kidnapped, beaten and released on March 15 by members of the local Sadr Bureau office. The attack was apparently in retaliation for the qa,im makam,s enforcement of a traffic violation committed by the Sadr Bureau (OMS) members on the streets of Jusr, a village in the Mada,in qada east of Baghdad. End summary. ¶2. (C) Baghdad Governor al-Tahan exercises executive authority in the province through a number of &qa,im makams8, sometimes referred to as local &mayors8 but more akin to a &ward boss8, whom he appoints. Many of the 32 Baghdad qa,im makams share al-Tahan,s Badr affiliation. Local leaders say the qa,im makam in Jusr, Haider abd al-Razak al-Lami, is a Badr associate. ¶3. (C) Al-Tahan told PRToffs that he had recently issued a directive to all of his qa,im makams to not visit any OMS offices or associate with OMS personnel. Tensions between the Jusr OMS office and al-Lami erupted after al-Lami enforced a parking ban on a street in Jusr near the OMS office. Local police detained several OMS members after parking on the street. The individuals were released and reportedly asked al-Lami to meet them at the OMS office to discuss the issue. Al-Lami refused. ¶4. (C) The next day, 15 March, according to al-Tahan and corroborated by Mada,in Council member Kadhem al-Shamary, al-Lami was dragged from his car by several men and taken to the OMS office, where he was held and beaten for four hours and then released. Al-Tahan reported to PRToffs that he had contacted police leadership and had instructed them to make arrests. ¶5. (C) Comment: Although SCIRI and the Sadrists are ostensible partners in the Council of Representatives Shi,a coalition, the incident illustrates the street-level tension between SCIRI-affiliated Badr and the Sadrist OMS. End Comment. KHALILZAD