SADRIST AGREES TO DIALOGUE WITH REO

S E C R E T BASRAH 000072

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/18/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER IR IZ
SUBJECT: SADRIST AGREES TO DIALOGUE WITH REO

REF: BASRAH 57

CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, Basrah Regional Embassy
Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)


1. (S) Summary: A senior Sadrist cleric, Sheikh Mohammed
Daoud-al-Basyri, resumed secret talks with Regional Embassy
Office (REO) officials on August 18. (Reftel) Mohammed agreed
on the need to establish a dialogue with the United States and
said he would assemble his colleagues for this purpose. The
director described the quick response funds (QRF) program and
suggested Mohammed submit a proposal. End summary.


2. (S) Mohammed said he wants to improve relations between the
Sadrists and the United States. He sees this as the means to
promote stability and development and rid Iraq of extreme
influences. The director agreed on the need to establish ties
and highlighted the common objectives, especially the desire to
rid Iraq of foreign influences.


3. (S) Mohammed said that Ja'ish al-Mahdi (JAM) elements in
Basrah are increasingly coming under Iranian control. He said
Iran is trying to chase the U.S. out of Iraq, break the will of
the U.S., and expose U.S. policy in the region as a failure in
order to convince neighboring states of the dangers of regime
change. Mohammed also said there are dormant al-Qaeda cells in
the az-Zubayr district of Basrah, which are supported by the
Gulf states. He offered to provide information on "anarchists"
to the REO. The director welcomed the offer and asked Mohammed
if he would like to be put in direct contact our colleagues who
target insurgents. Mohammed said he would prefer to provide the
information directly to the REO. (Note: Mohammed has provided
names and contact information, which we have passed on to
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force representatives.
End note.)


4. (S) Mohammed claims to be very influential among the Sadrists
and has ties with Sadrist leaders in Najaf, Diwaniya, Ammarah,
and Nasariyah. He believes many of his colleagues support
relations with the U.S. but fear they may be targeted by the
fringe elements. He said the Sadrists want to participate in
the political process and asked for political and economic
support, noting that the Iranians provide direct support to
political parties. The director said that the U.S. does not
provide direct support to any political parties.


5. (S) The director told Mohammed that in order to strengthen
ties, we need to take the relationship to the next step and
proposed a two-part approach. The first part is to open a
dialogue by expanding the meetings. He said the dialogue could
eventually involve a cultural visit to the U.S. for Mohammed and
his colleagues and pointed out Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq
officials made such visits. The second part would be to work
with Mohammed and his colleagues on community-based projects.
The director suggested that Mohammed submit a proposal to
renovate a park. This would provide jobs and community
recreation space - a need repeatedly expressed. If successful,
the director said we could look to other projects.


6. (S) Mohammed welcomed the suggestions, but fears the radical
elements within his organization. The director said that we
will work together to maintain the confidentiality of the
meetings. Mohammed agreed to confer with his colleagues about
commencing a dialogue and said he would provide the REO with a
proposal to renovate a park in the near future.

BONO