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