Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD1363
2009-05-25 14:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
PRT DIYALA: SUNNI ARAB PC MEMBER ARRESTED
how-toVZCZCXRO2144 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHGB #1363 1451405 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 251405Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3190 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001363
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2019
TAGS: KDEM KREL PTER PGOV PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: SUNNI ARAB PC MEMBER ARRESTED
REF: A. BAGHDAD 1294
B. BAGHDAD 1070
C. BAGHDAD 899
D. BAGHDAD 544
E. BAGHDAD 64
F. BAGHDAD 49
Classified By: PRT Leader George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is a PRT Diyala Reporting Cable.
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001363
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2019
TAGS: KDEM KREL PTER PGOV PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: SUNNI ARAB PC MEMBER ARRESTED
REF: A. BAGHDAD 1294
B. BAGHDAD 1070
C. BAGHDAD 899
D. BAGHDAD 544
E. BAGHDAD 64
F. BAGHDAD 49
Classified By: PRT Leader George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is a PRT Diyala Reporting Cable.
SUMMARY
--------------
1. C) Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) reputed to be from the
Prime Minister's Counter Terrorism Bureau arrested Diyala
Provincial Council (PC) member Abd Al Jabbar, a Sunni Arab,
on May 18 following a stand-off at the PC Building in
Ba'aqubah. The Diyala Governor and PC subsequently condemned
the GOI action, with PC members approving a formal resolution
outlining their specific concerns. The arrest could stymie
the work of the newly-elected PC, just as it was beginning to
revive itself as a political institution in Diyala. Sunni
Arabs view this arrest as the latest attempt by the
Government of Iraq (GOI) to limit Sunni Arab political
aspirations. END SUMMARY
2. (C) At about 12:30 pm on May 18, during an official
session of the Diyala PC, a force believed to be from Prime
Minister Maliki's office executed an arrest warrant against
Abd al Jabbar Ali Ibrahim Al Khazraji, a Sunni Arab PC member
and the Ba'aqubah head of the Tawafuq/Iraqi Islamic Party
(IIP) bloc. The arrest warrant was issued on May 17 by the
Al-Karkh Court of First Instance in Baghdad; it charged Abd
Al Jabbar for terrorist acts under Article 4. CPT Husham's
unit cordoned off the PC Building and a stand-off ensued. At
approximately 4:00 pm, the ISF took Abd Al Jabbar into
custody; reports indicate that he was transferred to a
detention center in Baghdad.
3. (C) The PC strongly condemned the actions of the PM's
office in the arrest of Abd Al Jabbar, believing the
terrorism charges against him completely false. Initially,
the PC members were considering suspending their membership
in the Council in protest of the arrest. They opted instead
for a written resolution renouncing the actions of the GOI
forces. All 24 PC members in attendance (including members of
the Iraqi National Project, Kurdistan Alliance (KA),and
Diyala National Coalition (ISCI) blocs) concurred with the
resolution.
4. (C) Diyala Governor Abd Al Nasir Al Muntasirbillah and
the Diyala Operations Center (DOC) Commander also came to the
Council Building to join the PC in condemning the arrest.
Moreover, the Governor and PC Chairman conducted a press
conference on May 18 to publicly state their objections. The
PC formed an official delegation comprised of the Governor
and eight PC members that traveled to Baghdad on May 20 to
present their concerns to GOI Vice Presidents Tariq Al
Hashimi and Adel Abd Al Mahdi.
AFTERMATH
--------------
5. (SBU) PC members are concerned that Abd Al Jabbar's arrest
will have a chilling effect on the work of the PC, and
negative ramifications among the Diyala public. The head of
the PC's Integrity (anti-corruption) Committee told the PRT
that he was afraid to do the committee's work combating
corruption for fear of arrest. Several PC members said they
can no longer feel secure in publicly airing their opinions,
or attending sessions at the Council building. PC members
claim that following the provincial elections in January
ordinary citizens believed that the Provincial Government
could effectively represent their interests and address their
needs. Officials now warn that many Sunnis will be
disillusioned and could return to violence.
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) PC members think this arrest is part of a larger
trend of persecution of PM Maliki's real and potential
political foes (specifically Sunni Arabs) in Diyala, and
Qpolitical foes (specifically Sunni Arabs) in Diyala, and
maintain that it is intended purely to limit Sunni Arab
political power and intimidate Sunni Arabs (refs). Abd Al
Jabbar's arrest is a blow to what seemed to be a
normalization of the political process in Diyala (ref B),and
highlights the GOI's problems in applying the rule of law and
dealing with opposition sects or ethnic groups (ref A). END
COMMENT.
HILL
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2019
TAGS: KDEM KREL PTER PGOV PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: SUNNI ARAB PC MEMBER ARRESTED
REF: A. BAGHDAD 1294
B. BAGHDAD 1070
C. BAGHDAD 899
D. BAGHDAD 544
E. BAGHDAD 64
F. BAGHDAD 49
Classified By: PRT Leader George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
This is a PRT Diyala Reporting Cable.
SUMMARY
--------------
1. C) Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) reputed to be from the
Prime Minister's Counter Terrorism Bureau arrested Diyala
Provincial Council (PC) member Abd Al Jabbar, a Sunni Arab,
on May 18 following a stand-off at the PC Building in
Ba'aqubah. The Diyala Governor and PC subsequently condemned
the GOI action, with PC members approving a formal resolution
outlining their specific concerns. The arrest could stymie
the work of the newly-elected PC, just as it was beginning to
revive itself as a political institution in Diyala. Sunni
Arabs view this arrest as the latest attempt by the
Government of Iraq (GOI) to limit Sunni Arab political
aspirations. END SUMMARY
2. (C) At about 12:30 pm on May 18, during an official
session of the Diyala PC, a force believed to be from Prime
Minister Maliki's office executed an arrest warrant against
Abd al Jabbar Ali Ibrahim Al Khazraji, a Sunni Arab PC member
and the Ba'aqubah head of the Tawafuq/Iraqi Islamic Party
(IIP) bloc. The arrest warrant was issued on May 17 by the
Al-Karkh Court of First Instance in Baghdad; it charged Abd
Al Jabbar for terrorist acts under Article 4. CPT Husham's
unit cordoned off the PC Building and a stand-off ensued. At
approximately 4:00 pm, the ISF took Abd Al Jabbar into
custody; reports indicate that he was transferred to a
detention center in Baghdad.
3. (C) The PC strongly condemned the actions of the PM's
office in the arrest of Abd Al Jabbar, believing the
terrorism charges against him completely false. Initially,
the PC members were considering suspending their membership
in the Council in protest of the arrest. They opted instead
for a written resolution renouncing the actions of the GOI
forces. All 24 PC members in attendance (including members of
the Iraqi National Project, Kurdistan Alliance (KA),and
Diyala National Coalition (ISCI) blocs) concurred with the
resolution.
4. (C) Diyala Governor Abd Al Nasir Al Muntasirbillah and
the Diyala Operations Center (DOC) Commander also came to the
Council Building to join the PC in condemning the arrest.
Moreover, the Governor and PC Chairman conducted a press
conference on May 18 to publicly state their objections. The
PC formed an official delegation comprised of the Governor
and eight PC members that traveled to Baghdad on May 20 to
present their concerns to GOI Vice Presidents Tariq Al
Hashimi and Adel Abd Al Mahdi.
AFTERMATH
--------------
5. (SBU) PC members are concerned that Abd Al Jabbar's arrest
will have a chilling effect on the work of the PC, and
negative ramifications among the Diyala public. The head of
the PC's Integrity (anti-corruption) Committee told the PRT
that he was afraid to do the committee's work combating
corruption for fear of arrest. Several PC members said they
can no longer feel secure in publicly airing their opinions,
or attending sessions at the Council building. PC members
claim that following the provincial elections in January
ordinary citizens believed that the Provincial Government
could effectively represent their interests and address their
needs. Officials now warn that many Sunnis will be
disillusioned and could return to violence.
COMMENT
--------------
6. (C) PC members think this arrest is part of a larger
trend of persecution of PM Maliki's real and potential
political foes (specifically Sunni Arabs) in Diyala, and
Qpolitical foes (specifically Sunni Arabs) in Diyala, and
maintain that it is intended purely to limit Sunni Arab
political power and intimidate Sunni Arabs (refs). Abd Al
Jabbar's arrest is a blow to what seemed to be a
normalization of the political process in Diyala (ref B),and
highlights the GOI's problems in applying the rule of law and
dealing with opposition sects or ethnic groups (ref A). END
COMMENT.
HILL