ELEVEN IRAQIS WITH FALSE PASSPORTS DETAINED IN MEXICO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000067 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DS/IP/WHA; DS/ICI/CR E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM PINR INTERPOL MX IZ CY TU PL SP SUBJECT: ELEVEN IRAQIS WITH FALSE PASSPORTS DETAINED IN MEXICO EN-ROUTE TO THE U.S. FROM SPAIN MONTERREY 00000067 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Luis Moreno, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Monterrey, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (SBU) On January 20, eleven Iraqi nationals attempted to gain entry into Mexico at Monterrey International Airport. They arrived in Monterrey on AeroMexico flight 22, a direct flight from Madrid. The group consisted of nine Iraqi men, one Iraqi woman, and one minor Iraqi child. From their home in Mosul, Iraq, the group traveled to Turkey where they obtained falsified Cypriot and Polish passports. The passports contained alias names but the correct photos of each of the eleven Iraqis. ¶2. (SBU) An additional Iraqi man, the father of the minor child, was detained by Turkish authorities when the group attempted to depart Turkey for Spain. It is unclear whether this man, whose real identity is unknown, is still in Turkish custody. The other eleven Iraqis continued their journey to Madrid, where they boarded the AeroMexico flight for Monterrey using the false passports. The group was detained shortly after arriving in Monterrey on January 20 when immigration authorities questioned the validity of their passports. Mexican authorities found that each adult was carrying an average of USD$500 and Euro200 on their person. ¶3. (SBU) At the Monterrey immigration detention facility, the group admitted that they planned to travel overland from Monterrey to Tijuana, Mexico, where they would then cross over into the United States. Some of them claimed to have family living in the United States. They also all claimed to be Chaldean Christian Iraqis who would be threatened if returned to their native country. ¶4. (S) The Iraqis stated that they had been instructed by their "handler" to go to the Versailles Hotel in Monterrey upon their arrival and wait for further instructions about their trip to Tijuana and the U.S. The identity of said "handler" is presently unknown. Mexican authorities attempted to obtain further information about the groups plans and the identify of the handler at the Versailles Hotel in Monterrey, but were unsuccessful. Mexican intelligence believes that the handler is a Mexican national. ¶3. (S) On January 21, the group of eleven Iraqis were transferred overland by CISEN (Mexican Intelligence) from Monterrey's immigration facility to Mexico City for further questioning, detention, and disposition. They are currently in CISEN custody in Mexico City. The names, aliases, and passport information for each of the eleven Iraqis currently in CISEN custody are as listed below (information provided by CISEN). ¶4. (SBU) The names, aliases and passport information for each of the eleven Iraqis are as follows: -- Athir Hazem Kareem, male, DOB 18 Feb 1985 (traveled as Maron Sabba, DOB 18 Feb 1985, Cypriot PPN: E 025500) -- Chassan Zaya Rafael, male, DOB 28 Jul 1979 (traveled as Savas Gokolas, DOB 12 Aug 1975, Cypriot PPN: E 025528) -- Safa Petros Astefo, DOB 28 Oct 1974 (traveled as Mano Farez, DOB 21 Aug 1974, Cypriot PPN: E 025619) -- Alaa Waheed, male, DOB 03 Jan 1983 (traveled as Nikos Samos, DOB 03 Jan 1983, Cypriot PPN: E 025508) -- Nahed Cherko, male, DOB 14 July 1975 (traveled as Niko Zaxapaki, DOB 14 Jul 1975, Cypriot PPN: E 025607) -- Suheil Abid Bahapi, male, DOB 03 Apr 1975 (traveled as Vaselis Fates, DOB 08 Jul 1976, Cypriot PPN: E 025524) -- Haitham Jalal Polis, male, DOB 16 Feb 1975 (traveled as Spero Konas, DOB 16 Feb 1975, Cypriot PPN: E 025505) -- Raad Kary House, male, DOB 04 Apr 1966 (traveled as Dariusz Szczepan Pryt, DOB 26 Dec 1970, Polish PPN: AJ 9075176) -- Hadeel Shakr Owraha, female, DOB 14 Jan 1985 (traveled as Margarita Samos, DOB 21 Jun 1985, Cypriot PPN: E 025610) -- Omar Kareem, male, DOB 18 Jan 1982 (traveled as Maciej Seweryn Dryka, DOB 06 Nov 1987, Polish PPN: AF 2650862) -- Daniela Duraid, female, DOB 08 Oct 2004 (traveled as Maro Samos, DOB 22 Feb 2005, Cypriot PPN: E 025610) ¶4. (S) The eleven detainees had no other documentation or identification on their person to confirm that their true Iraqi MONTERREY 00000067 002.2 OF 002 names and dates of birth are the same ones they provided to CISEN. During preliminary questioning, they each initially gave a different name than the one listed above as their true name. After further questioning, however, each provided the above-listed name as their true and correct Iraqi name. Mexican authorities have not currently identified any of these individuals as a dangerous threat to U.S. national security, but Post will continue to monitor the situation closely in conjunction with local intelligence and law enforcement agencies. MORENO