JORDANIAN HIGH-VALUE DETAINEE DIES OF NATURAL

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 003257 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV IZ JO SUBJECT: JORDANIAN HIGH-VALUE DETAINEE DIES OF NATURAL CAUSES IN MNF-I CUSTODY Classified By: Political Military Minister Counselor Michael C. Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY. A High-Value Detainee (HVD) died in MNF-I custody of natural causes October 6 in Iraq. Despite calls for his compassionate release to live his last days in freedom with his family in Jordan, the Government of Iraq (GOI) did not grant his release because of pending criminal charges. Embassy Baghdad is coordinating with the deceased's family, MNF-I, and the Jordanian Mission in Baghdad to repatriate his remains to Jordan. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S) A Jordanian High-Value Detainee, Khalil Khadir Mohammad Al-Salhat (ISN 200018, DIA Black List Number MP 18), died at the Combat Support Hospital (CSH) at Camp Cropper, Iraq, October 6 of natural causes. The cause of death has been determined to be related to advanced stage cancer of the lower bowel. Notification of death has been made to both the Governments of Iraq and Jordan, as well as to the Departments of State and Defense. By regulation, the body must be transported to Dover, Delaware for autopsy, but upon request of the detainee's spouse and the Government of Jordan, MNF-I is attempting to waive the autopsy requirement in order to transfer the remains as soon as possible to family members in Amman. ¶3. (S) According to his case file, Khalil was a liaison for the Abu Nidal group, Fatah, who traveled to meet with foreign intelligence services from 1994-2001. He was suspected of involvement in the murder of the PLO official Abu Lyad; however, evidence did not support the commission of any crime falling under the jurisdiction of the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT). The IHT had not expressed interest until February 2008, when they issued a warrant for his alledged complicity in an upcoming IHT trial. ¶4. (S) After becoming ill with cancer, several appeals were made for the compassionate release of Khalil by both Embassy Baghdad and the ICRC. All were refused by the GOI because he was still under IHT warrant in the Marsh Arab Trial. Appeals by the Embassy's Regime Crime's Liaison Office to the President of the IHT to drop the warrant were also unheeded. As his condition worsened, Khalil was transported to the Camp Cropper CSH, where he died at 12:04 Baghdad time October 6. His Iraqi wife and children were with him at the CSH when he died, and his wife has requested that his remains be transported to Amman to be received by his Jordanian mother and siblings and be buried in Jordan. The Jordanian Mission in Baghdad has concurred with her request and has offered their assistance. CROCKER