CBS REPORTER KIDNAPPED IN BASRAH (PART 1)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BASRAH 000012

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/18/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM PTER UK IR IZ
SUBJECT: CBS REPORTER KIDNAPPED IN BASRAH (PART 1)

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CLASSIFIED BY: Won Lee, A/Director, U.S. Regional Embassy
Office, Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(c)




1. (C) Summary: CBS reporter and British citizen Richard Butler
(protect throughout) and his Iraqi interpreter were kidnapped
from their hotel in Basrah city the night of February 10. It is
unknown exactly who is responsible, but many suspect a small,
Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) splinter group of former Iraqi intelligence
officers. Sadrist leaders deny any JAM involvement. Iraqi
political, military, and religious leaders, as well as the UK
Foreign & Commonwealth Office (HMG's lead agency) are using
Sadrist intermediaries to locate and pressure the kidnappers to
release the hostages. The Sadrists announced February 13 that
both hostages would be released that day, but the abductors only
released the interpreter. Sadrist/JAM leaders reportedly
discovered February 16 where Butler is being held in Basrah, but
continue to attempt to secure his freedom through negotiations.
End Summary.

BASRAH IS A ROUGH TOWN
--------------

2. (C) CBS photojournalist Richard Butler, a British citizen,
and his Iraqi interpreter, Aqeel Khudier Taher, were kidnapped
from the Al Sultan Hotel in downtown Basrah the morning of
February 10. Butler arrived on February 9, but neither MND-SE
nor the U.S. Regional Embassy Office (REO) were aware of his
presence. CBS Baghdad Producer Phillip Ittner arrived in Basrah
February 12 to facilitate their release and confirmed that
Butler's aim was to interview Basrawi Sadrists and arrange a
meeting with Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf. JAM had assured Butler's
protection. The international media reported the kidnapping, but
refuse to reveal Butler's name at CBS's request. The Arabic
media, however, revealed Butler's name after acquiring it from
an unidentified Iraqi Police (IP) official.

THE KIDNAPPING
--------------

3. (S) According to the hotel manager, the hotel was watched the
night of February 9 by a small Toyota. Later the next morning
(FEB 10 at 0100 hrs),a Toyota Landcruiser with no registration
arrived with four men. One pressed an i.d. on the hotel's
locked glass door, said they were intelligence officers, and
demanded entry. The leader was identified as 1LT Lou'ai
Muhammed al-Jazairi. Once admitted, they checked the register
for Butler's room (#201),went to the room to check papers, and
left.


4. (S) An hour later, three vehicles carrying 20-25 armed men in
green camouflage uniforms arrived at the hotel. The hotel staff
was unable to tell if those in the first group were also in the
second group because some wore masks. The police reported to
MND-SE a white pickup truck and a Chevy Blazer, while the hotel
staff added a white police car. The hotel was surrounded; again
they demanded and were permitted entry. Some men staged in the
lobby while others went to Butler's room taking him and the
interpreter out at gunpoint. The facilitator of Butler's visit,
Muhammed Nasser (who uses the alias General Falcon in
communications with CBS),was also in Butler's room but was
reportedly beaten and then fled. Nasser later returned to the
room and recovered Butler and Aqeel's phones.

AFTER THE KIDNAPPING
--------------

5. (S) The interpreter was released on February 13 and told UK
police that he and Butler were blindfolded with their hands tied
behind their backs and driven 20-25 minutes from the hotel. He
estimates they were at the first location an hour then driven
15-20 minutes to a second location where they remained for two
days mostly sleeping. After another 15 minute drive, they moved
to a third location which was the last place Aqeel saw Butler.
Aqeel said that he and Butler were never tortured nor allowed to
talk to each other. One of the kidnappers spoke good English
and they used "silly nicknames" with each other.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
--------------

6. (S/NF) Questions remain as to who is responsible for the
kidnapping. Numerous sources claim Jazairi was the mastermind
behind the kidnapping and leads a JAM-splinter group of former
National Information and Investigations Agency (NIIA) members
like himself. Jazairi was detained by the British in 2005 and

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transferred to the Iraqi Criminal System in 2007. He was
subsequently released and rejoined Basrah's IP somehow. Iraqi
PM COS Tariq `Abdullah told a UK Embassy official that Jazairi
was responsible for the kidnapping, he hailed from Qibla, and
that he recently had a falling out with the Sadrists who
disavowed Jazairi February 12. The MOI issued a summons against
Jazairi by February 12 and Governor Wa'eli asked Basrah's ISF
commander LTG Mohan Hafith Fahad to arrest him, but Mohan
refrained placing Jazairi under surveillance and because he
communicates with the kidnappers.


7. (S/NF) To save himself, Jazairi is displacing blame on
possible accomplice Abbas Munis Abdul Ali Saihood al-Hilfi.
Jazairi told NIIA Commander BG Shamkee that Butler was with
Hilfi. He also requested help from Office of the Martyr Sadr
(OMS) spokesman Harith al-Ethari to retrieve Butler; Ethari
publicly denounced the kidnapping and said the Sadrists were not
responsible. Despite OMS's disavowal of Jazairi and Ethari's
public admission that Jazairi went to the hotel that night, OMS
representative Qasim al-Wa'ili strongly defended Jazairi in a
conversation with a REO source. Former NIIA MAJ Jasim al Duraji
is also reportedly involved. Hilfi and Duraji were detained by
the British in 2006 and released as part of HMG's
"accommodation" with JAM (Operation DAPITICE).


8. (S) Both CBS's Ittner and MOD Advisor Majid al-Sari reported
rumors that a small, unknown group called "17 March" may have
been involved. It is unknown if "17 March" and Jazairi's former
NIIA members are the same.


9. (S) Muhammed Nasser, a Basrah IP sergeant, may also have been
complicit at some level. As the visit facilitator, he was aware
of all the details and miraculously escaped. Using the
translator's cellphone (0790 191 6365) he recovered, Nasser was
able to relay communications from the abductors to CBS raising
questions of how he knew the kidnapper's numbers. CBS initially
believed he was involved, but now suspect events overcame him.
CBS said that Nasser claimed to have fled to Hilah and
conversations with him became increasingly erratic. Comment: As
the facilitator for an OMS sponsored visit, Nasser is likely
under JAM pressure for failing to ensure Butler's safety,
explaining his flight and erratic behavior. End Comment.

THE SEARCH EFFORTS
--------------

10. (S) From the beginning, considerable efforts to find the
hostages have been underway. The 14 Division (IA) surged units
into Basrah to conduct searches in the Five Mile, Qibla, and
Jumhuriyah neighborhoods. The Interior Ministry cancelled all
leave, vehicle checkpoints and border entry points are on high
alert, and sources are being encouraged to report information.
The increased ISF presence, however, led JAM to believe February
12 that the searches were directed at them and responded by
firing at IA positions. No other confrontations have occurred
since then. According to Sari, JAM is also discreetly looking
for Butler, but is reportedly loosing patience. JAM intended to
raid two houses thought to hold Butler the night of February 15,
but were dissuaded by Mohan.


11. (S) CBS is using a private security firm called "Blue
Hackle" (former British Special Air Service members) to ask
their contacts for Butler's location. According to Ittner, one
of Blue Hackle's contacts, Sharif al Batat, allegedly spoke to
Butler. HMG has expressed concern that Blue Hackle's
interference could confuse ongoing negotiations and suspect that
Batat's family may be involved in the kidnapping. According to
CBS and Blue Hackle, no ransom has been asked for, sought or
paid for Butler.

THE NEGOTIATIONS
--------------

12. (S/NF) Political leaders, the ISF, and the Supporting the
Law Committee (an informal group of sheikhs, religious and
political players) are trying to mediate Butler's release.
Everyone, however, is relying on OMS/JAM to act as
intermediaries with the kidnappers, including the UK Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO),which leads HMG's recovery efforts.
If OMS/JAM were successful, the Supporting the Law Committee
promised to publicly congratulate OMS and Mohan is reported to
have offered reinstating JAM IP officers who have been
transferred out of the province. OMS reportedly doubts Mohan's
sincerity.

THE INTERPRETER IS RELEASED - BUTLER STILL HELD

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13. (S) On February 13, the interpreter (Aqeel) was released
into OMS then NIIA custody. OMS initially announced that both
hostages would be freed at a press conference in front of their
Basrah office. That event was cancelled because the kidnappers
told NIIA Commander BG Shamkee and Aqeel that if a press event
were held, they would kill Butler. Aqeel was flown back to
Baghdad by MND-SE February 16.


14. (S/NF) Butler's whereabouts are still unknown, but sources
tell us that the original abductors continue to hold him. Some
suspect that the kidnappers fear releasing Butler for fear of
JAM retribution. Nasser indicated February 11 that the hostages
might have been moved to the town of Karmah west of Baghdad and
later taken to Iran. However, Aqeel's release in Basrah
dispelled that rumor and may indicate that Butler is also in
Basrah, which ISF and local leaders continue to believe. FCO
tells us that upon Butler's release, he will be reviewed by
MND-SE's hospital, flown to Kuwait, and either taken back to
France (where his wife resides) or England on a British Airways
flight.

COMMENT
--------------

15. (S) Butler's kidnapping highlights the growing trend of
abductions in Basrah. Over the last two months, we have heard
that murders are down, but kidnappings up because militias and
criminal gangs find it more lucrative. It is unlikely that OMS
is wholly responsible for the abduction given the pre-arranged
terms of Butler's visit to see them, the efforts OMS/JAM
expended to free him, and the positive image that OMS wants to
portray in the run up to elections. It is more likely that a
JAM-splinter group acted on its own without OMS approval and
given the high-level of the hostage, found itself in very deep
water.


16. (U) REO Basrah will report further developments septel.
WLEE