Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD3128
2009-12-02 12:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

CHILDREN BEHIND BARS: IRAQI JUVENILES CHARGED WITH

Tags:  PGOV KJUS PHUM KCWI IZ 
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VZCZCXRO5204
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3128/01 3361235
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021235Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5608
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003128 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

JUSTICE FOR ODAG, CRM, OPDAT, ICITAP
STATE FOR INL/I, NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM KCWI IZ
SUBJECT: CHILDREN BEHIND BARS: IRAQI JUVENILES CHARGED WITH
TERRORISM

Classified By: Senior Advisor to the Rule of Law Coordinator Robert W.
Ogburn for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003128

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

JUSTICE FOR ODAG, CRM, OPDAT, ICITAP
STATE FOR INL/I, NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM KCWI IZ
SUBJECT: CHILDREN BEHIND BARS: IRAQI JUVENILES CHARGED WITH
TERRORISM

Classified By: Senior Advisor to the Rule of Law Coordinator Robert W.
Ogburn for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Within the past year, there have
been several high-profile cases of juveniles charged with
terrorism. In the face of increasing detentions of children
for serious crimes under Iraqi law, including terrorism, the
Iraqi judiciary is ill-equipped to handle the volume and type
of cases being developed. The corrections system is
overwhelmed and unable to meet the legal requirements for
rehabilitation. Juveniles in the criminal justice system
face long delays in processing of their cases and are housed
in dilapidated facilities or with adult prisoners. The
Embassy actively monitors and provides substantial assistance
to improve juvenile justice in Iraq. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.

Juvenile Case Processing
--------------

2. (C) In 2006, due to increased insurgent targeting of
judges hearing terrorism cases, the Higher Judicial Council
moved all terrorist cases under the Central Criminal Court of
Iraq (CCC-I) courthouse, in a more secure area of Baghdad.
Judge Sabry Al-Saedy, of the CCC-I courthouse, is one of two
juvenile investigative judges in Baghdad province, and is
currently the authority on the investigative process for
juveniles accused of terrorism. In October 2009, Judge Sabry
attended the Embassy,s Rule of Law Community Forum to
discuss with international donors the current status and
challenges of juvenile justice in Iraq. Juvenile detainees
in Iraq are often arrested and accused of setting bombs,
including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs),in addition to
other crimes under Iraqi terrorism laws. The maximum
sentence a juvenile may receive in any case, including
terrorism, is a term of 15 years imprisonment. Few juveniles
actually receive the maximum sentence, but Judge Sabry
supports longer sentences for juveniles convicted of
terrorism than are currently being imposed.


3. (C) The investigative process for juvenile cases is held
in closed door sessions as required by the Iraqi Juvenile
Care Law of 1983. Although confessions are used by the

police to justify arrest and by the court to adjudicate
cases, Judge Sabry noted that he looks for evidence of
coercion by the police and other authorities. The judge is
careful to examine the physical condition of the juvenile and
ask if the defendant has suffered physical abuse from the
police and/or the detention staff. If he suspects that the
juvenile has been threatened by law enforcement, Judge Sabry
explained that he would strike statements and in some cases
throw out confessions. The result could be that the
juvenile,s case may be dismissed for lack of evidence,
prompting release from detention.

Child Terrorists?
--------------

4. (SBU) Children are a growing part of the criminal and
terrorist groups operating on the streets of Baghdad and in
other areas such as Diyala and Ninewa provinces where
sectarian violence remains widespread. According to Judge
Sabry, the many wars, domestic strife, economic hardships,
and lack of government programs are pushing juveniles to the
streets and out of their homes and schools. Most of the
juveniles detained and tried in Iraq,s juvenile justice
system are poor, uneducated, and lack family support.


5. (SBU) To illustrate his point, Judge Sabry cited two cases
in which children are involved in terrorism. One case
involves Nibras Ali A,abass, a 15 year old girl arrested in
Qinvolves Nibras Ali A,abass, a 15 year old girl arrested in
April 2009 and accused of participating in a Diyala market
bombing. At age 13, Nibras,s family arranged her marriage
to Mohammed Abdulla Hassan, a 25 year old Saudi Arabia
citizen. Mohammed is believed to be a member of Al Qaeda in
Iraq (AQI) and had married Nibras as part of an effort to
force her to become a suicide bomber. However, when she
became pregnant, she was no longer forced to perform the
terrorist act. In April 2009, Nibras and her husband were
arrested for terrorist related activity and for carrying
false documents. Nibras was detained with her two year old
son and then gave birth while in custody to her second child.
(Children are allowed to remain with their incarcerated
mothers in the facility until the age of three, at which time
they must go to either a family member or an orphanage.) She
is awaiting trial.


6. (SBU) A second example is Nibras, first cousin, Rania
Ibrahim, who is also married to an alleged AQI member. In
2008, at age 15, Iraqi security forces caught Rania wearing a

BAGHDAD 00003128 002 OF 002


vest packed with explosives in an aborted suicide attack.
She claims to have been drugged by relatives and forced into
being a suicide bomber. In August 2009, the Diyala juvenile
court sentenced Rania to 7.5 years for her role in the
aborted attack. Rania,s case received heavy media coverage
in Iraq and abroad. In the past year, Rania made public
service announcements denouncing violence and terrorism. She
is currently appealing her sentence.


7. (SBU) Most juveniles accused of terrorism are boys.
Recent visits to the pre-trial boys, facility revealed that
over two thirds of the boys are accused of terrorism. When
asked, one of the boys stated that he was detained by local
police because he was near where a bomb exploded, but denied
being involved or having knowledge of the bombing. Other
detainees make similar claims that they were just in the area
of the bombing when they were arrested. It is difficult to
gather evidence in these cases, resulting in delays of up to
three years, while the law requires that juveniles should not
be held more than 45 days in pre-adjudication status.

Housing Violent Juveniles in Baghdad
--------------

8. (C) Under the Iraqi Juvenile Care Law of 1983, which is on
its face very progressive, MoLSA is charged with
rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. As such, MoLSA
operates five juvenile facilities in Iraq, one in Mosul and
four in Baghdad. In Iraq, juveniles are housed without the
use of a classification system. This means that detention
and rehabilitation facilities do not separate inmates based
on age or seriousness of the offense. Juveniles that are
charged or convicted of terrorism are housed in the general
population. The staff at the juvenile facilities are
concerned that the presence of alleged terrorists among
non-violent offenders stifles rehabilitation and poses
significant security concerns. Based on site visits of the
juvenile facilities, most are old, lack adequate space, and
suffer from neglect. The housing units consist of rooms
packed with wall to wall bunk beds and the bathrooms are
communal with very basic sewer and plumbing systems.


9. COMMENT: Assistance to HJC and MoLSA remains a priority.
The Embassy will continue to encourage HJC to address court
delays, which will also reduce overcrowding in the juvenile
facilities. Recent dialogue with MoLSA also opens the door
to develop programs and capacity to improve physical
conditions, education and vocational training, and training
for staff in those facilities. END COMMENT.
FORD