Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07EFTOBAGHDAD867
2007-03-12 08:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

US REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM REFERRAL OF LOCALLY

Tags:  PREF PHUM IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2264
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0867 0710840
ZNY EEEEE ZZH
P 120840Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0124
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS E F T O BAGHDAD 000867 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR PRM/A; DHS FOR BCIS HEADQUARTERS; CAIRO FOR
REFCOORD; AMMAN FOR REFCOORD AND CONSULAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: US REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM REFERRAL OF LOCALLY
EMPLOYED STAFF NABIL AL-BASSAM

REF: STATE 16383

UNCLAS E F T O BAGHDAD 000867

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR PRM/A; DHS FOR BCIS HEADQUARTERS; CAIRO FOR
REFCOORD; AMMAN FOR REFCOORD AND CONSULAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: US REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM REFERRAL OF LOCALLY
EMPLOYED STAFF NABIL AL-BASSAM

REF: STATE 16383


1. Embassy Baghdad would like to refer the following
locally-employed staff to the US Refugee Admissions Program
(USRAP)


2. (SBU)

Principal applicant (PA):

NAME: Nabil Al-Bassam (a.k.a. Nabil Sh. Ibrahem)
DOB: July 22, 1970
POB: Diyala
Passport Number: S 487540
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married

Dependents:

NAME: Nahla A. Mohammed
DOB: December 17, 1979
POB: Diyala
Passport Number: H 0346021
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Relation to PA: Wife

NAME: Zaid Nabil Shamil
DOB: December 29, 2005
POB:
Passport Number: H 0346021 (mother's passport)
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Relation to PA: Son


3. (SBU) Description of persecution claim, as reported by
Nabil and his American supervisor: Nabil Al-Bassam is a
locally-employed staff (LES) webmaster at the Public Affairs
Section. He has been employed at the Embassy since June of

2004. Prior to joining the Embassy, Nabil worked as an
open-source analyst for US military intelligence for one year
(May 2003 - June 2004). Nabil has been in temporary refuge
at the American Embassy Annex compound in Baghdad's
International Zone since December 21, 2006, when a merchant
in his neighborhood (Karada) warned him that members of the
Jaysh Al-Mahdi (JAM) militias had been asking about him by
name. In early February, Nabil's mother (with whom he shares
the house) warned him not to return home because three men
were surveilling the house and presumably looking for him.
Nabil is convinced that he will be abducted if he returns to
his neighborhood. Even before the USG announced an increase
in the number of Iraqis that will be admitted to the US under
the USRAP, Nabil informed his supervisors that he would be
quitting his job in the Embassy and leave Iraq once he could
no longer stay at the International Zone (note: the Embassy
provides temporary emergency refuge to LES facing threats or
emergencies, but can not extend this option for long periods
of time or to LES family members, as the number of living
quarters are limited. End note). Last year a PAS FSN was
kidnapped, and in January of 2007 one of the PAS LES was
killed in a car bomb attack in Karada.


4. (SBU) Nabil is one of the best LES in the PAS,
consistently showing dedication and professionalism. For the
past two-and-a-half months his American supervisors have seen
him endure extreme anxiety and undergo panic attacks as the
expiration date of his temporary refuge approached. Since
December, Nabil has not seen his wife or 14 month old son.
Nabil is scheduled to leave for Amman with his wife and
children on March 12. Embassy Amman has been notified about
his arrival.


5. (SBU) Justification for resettlement: Nabil's case was
brought before the Embassy's Refugee Committee on March 8,
and the committee found his case to be credible and to
warrant direct (track A) referral to the USRAP.


6. (SBU) Financial situation of PA: Nabil has savings that
should allow him to support his family and himself in Jordan
for about six months. Class namechecks have been conducted
(no hits) for Nabil and family.
SPECKHARD