CBS REPORTER RICHARD BUTLER FREED

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000029

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/14/2018
TAGS: KCRM PTER PINS PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: CBS REPORTER RICHARD BUTLER FREED

BASRAH 00000029 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Howell Howard, Regional Coordinator, Regional
Embassy Office Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (S) SUMMARY: Kidnapped CBS reporter and British citizen
Richard Butler was freed during the afternoon of April 14 during
an Iraqi Army (IA) operation conducted as part of operation
Charge of the Knights II (COKII). UK, U.S., and Iraqi
authorities had been trying to secure Butler's release since he
was kidnapped on February 10; contributed to the IA rescue.
Butler is currently at the MND-SE hospital at Basrah Air Station
(BAS),in good condition, and considering when he will fly from
BAS to either the UK or France. An Embassy Interagency Hostage
Working Group member has been working with the UK's Foreign &
Commonwealth Office (FCO) to assist in investigative techniques.
Regional Embassy Office (REO) Basrah will report further
details later. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) Butler and his Iraqi interpreter were kidnapped from
their hotel in Basrah city the night of February 10 (Ref A).
Sadrist leaders consistently denied any Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM)
involvement, but a JAM Special Group (SG) has been suspected.
The FCO, HMG's lead agency on this issue, were using Sadrist
intermediaries to locate and pressure the kidnappers to release
the hostages. Although Sadrists announced February 13 that both
hostages would be released that day, only the interpreter was
released. Butler was in Basrah (unbeknownst to REO or FCO) to
arrange a meeting with Muqtada al-Sadr through Sadrist
intermediaries.


3. (C) The FCO told REO Basrah that the IA came across Butler
during house to house clearing operations during the second
phase of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Operation Charge of the
Knights (COKII). Elements of the IA 14th Division met armed
resistance from a small group of JAM or JAM-SG in the Jubaylah
district of Basrah City. The IA overpowered the group, who then
surrendered; the group pointed out the nearby home of their cell
leader. The IA entered that house and found Butler inside.
Butler told FCO that he was forced to wear a hood during his
captivity, but when he heard gunfire nearby he took it off and
was therefore recognized as a Westerner.


4. (C) The IA immediately took Butler to Basrah Palace, where
the GOI quickly convened a press briefing with "Iraqia"
television showing Butler embracing Basrah Operations Commander
General Mohan Hafith al-Fariji. CNN broadcast the story about
an hour later. Coalition aircraft flew Butler soon after to the
MND-SE hospital at the BAS for a medical examination, where he
remains. According to the FCO, Butler has not made a decision
whether he wants to fly back tonight or tomorrow to either the
UK or France (where his wife resides). FCO also said everything
is going according to the plan emplaced to handle Butler once he
was released. CBS producer Phillip Ittner was with him at the
hospital. (Ittner has been at the BAS since Butler's capture.)
Butler has since been released from the hospital and chatted
with PRT members at MNDSE headquarters.


5. (S) Various investigations and negotiations had been
conducted in the ensuing weeks since Butler's capture. Some
investigators believed Butler was taken to Iran but was then
brought back to Basra, perhaps when COK kicked off on March 24
(Ref B). Butler has said to some listeners so far that he has
little information on his captivity as he was hooded the entire
time. Negotiations involved a web of JAM-SG detainees, and
investigations pursued information from many sources. The
kidnappers made some demands, which were not met. The release
of one Iraqi detainee held by MND-SE probably did have a part in
the plan that developed to release Butler.


6. (S) Investigators believed that an arrangement had been made
to have Butler released on March 25 or 26, but military
operations in Basrah threw a wrench into that plan. Sources
indicated that a reworked plan would have had Butler released
around April 11. At least one source has acknowledged that the
IA was given a tip to raid the first house. It appears that
Butler was brought to the house where the IA then happened to
rescue him on a tip. This resulted in an Iraqi face to Butler's
release. The plan to have Butler released was related to his
rescue by the IA.


7. (S) An Embassy Interagency Hostage Working Group member,
trained in hostage negotiations and investigations, has been at
BAS for some weeks working primarily on two cases, the
kidnapping of four Crescent Security Group contractors (three
Amcits, one Austrian) in November 2006 and the kidnapping of
Amcit Ronald Withrow in January 2007. OHA and UK action
officers mutually assisted each other, resulting in the recent
recovery of the bodies of Withrow and three CSG contractors.
The IHWG member also contributed to the Butler investigations.

BASRAH 00000029 002.2 OF 002




7. (S) One Iraqi was taken into custody during the IA raid. The
detainee may need to be transferred to U.S. custody and
transferred to Camp Cropper for interrogation, as MND-SE may not
be able to detain him, due to the looming expiration the UN
Resolution.


8. (U) REO Basrah will report further as more information
develops.
HOWARD