REQUEST FOR LEAHY VETTING DETERMINATION ON ANA

S E C R E T KABUL 000510 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/RA (JBRENNIG),SCA/A, DRL, INL/CNPR E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017 TAGS: PHUM PINR PTER AF SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR LEAHY VETTING DETERMINATION ON ANA GUARD UNIT FOR THE AFGHAN NATIONAL DETENTION FACILITY (ANDF) REF: A) KABUL 151 B) 06KABUL 5850 C) 06KABUL 3540 D) 06KABUL 3541 E) DEPARTMENT LEAHY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT (12/2005) Classified By: Political Military Counselor Carol Rodley for reasons 1. 4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request - see paragraph 6. ¶2. (SBU) Post seeks Department's assistance in concluding Leahy (DoD) vetting for the Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel selected to participate in DoD-funded training to create a guard unit for the Afghan National Detention Facility (ANDF). The ANDF guard force is currently being trained and mentored by Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A). ¶3. (SBU) Per reftels C and D, post provided the Department biographical information for 91 officers and 258 soldiers selected for training for the ANDF guard force. Following subsequent communications with SCA colleagues and a review of ref E, post resubmitted biographical data for the commanding officer of the ANA's ANDF guard unit, and requested that the Department allow for "unit vetting" in this case per refs A and E. CSTC-A informs post that all guard force trainees are ANA personnel with no previous history of working at the adjacent Pol-E-Charki prison facility. Moreover, as with any ANA unit, the composition of the ANDF guard force will change incrementally over months, as new recruits are trained up, and other personnel are rotated out to other ANA units not associated with the ANDF. ¶4. (C) Additionally, post relayed concerns ref C about the unit's deputy commander, following up on a request from CSTC-A which had pressed the MOD for the deputy commander's removal, explaining to the MOD the requirements of Leahy (DoD) amendment. CSTC-A informs post that the MOD still has not removed the deputy commander. The MOD reports that it has not taken action to remove the deputy commander because it has received subsequent information that may exonerate him. CSTC-A is pressing the MOD for written documentation of that information, for the USG's review in the context of Leahy (DoD) vetting. Post is working with CSTC-A in an effort to resolve this matter as expeditiously as possible. ¶5. (S) The ANDF is nearly completed, but has not yet received any detainees. However, pending Washington guidance, the first transfers of Afghan detainees to the ANDF could occur o/a February 26. The guard force is scheduled to complete training o/a March 7, though DoD-funded mentoring will continue beyond that date. ¶6. (SBU) In order to assist CSTC-A in complying with the Leahy (DoD) amendment, Post requests that the Department to respond to reftel A, as soon as possible, but by February 22. Should Department not allow for unit vetting in the case of the ANA's ANDF guard force, post requests expeditious completion of the vetting of the individual ANDF personnel (post will send by separate email to SCA/RA) by February 22, noting that most of the personnel on the list were previously reported in reftels A and B. Where an individual is new since the reftel lists were submitted, we will so indicate. Post plans to recommend to CSTC-A to seek DoD guidance regarding the application of the Leahy (DoD) amendment to ANA personnel assigned to the ANDF guard force in the future. NEUMANN