U.S. FORCES DETAINEE UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003256

SIPDIS

NSC FOR MPHEE, PVROOMAN; STATE FOR MCORBIN, PDELLY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2019
TAGS: MOPS PHUM PINS PTER CASC IZ XF
SUBJECT: U.S. FORCES DETAINEE UPDATE

REF: BAGHDAD 3142

Classified By: Ambassador Cameron P. Munter for reasons 1.4 (b&d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. At the Joint Subcommittee on Detainee
Affairs (JSC-DA) meeting held Saturday, December 12, TF-134
commander BG Dave Quantock stated there are 6,358 detainees
currently in U.S. custody. Since January 2009, the U.S. has
released 7,570 detainees and transferred 1,481 detainees to
the GOI, pursuant to the U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement. BG
Quantock asked the GOI and the committee to focus on the
remaining detainees without warrants. BG Quantock stated
that the U.S. should have arrest warrants, detention orders
or convictions on all detainees in U.S. custody by February

2010. The JSC also focused on the timing of the transfers of
Taji and Cropper Theater Internment Facilities (TIFs) after
the elections and updated the JSC members on progress of the
Blue Cell detainee review process. END SUMMARY

--------------
Warrants Still An Issue
--------------


2. (C) Of the detainees in U.S. custody, 3,700 detainees
are transfer eligible, meaning the U.S. has a detention
order, arrest warrant or conviction paperwork on the
detainee. Therefore, approximately 2,700 of the detainees
are release eligible, meaning the U.S. does not have an
arrest warrant, etc. In the next few days, the GOI will
provide about 500 arrest warrants, which will bring the
release eligible list to about 2,200. Further reducing this
number is the fact that approximately 600 cases are being
brought before the Iraqi investigative judge and there are
about 150 warrants that are coming up from the provinces. BG
Quantock asked the committee to therefore focus on the
remaining 1,500 release-eligible detainees to get arrest
warrants or detention orders. Due to the progress being made
on the warrant return rate, the U.S. will lower the number of
detainees being released each month to 300 for both the
months of December and January. BG Quantock stated that the
U.S. should have arrest warrants, detention orders or
convictions on all detainees in U.S. custody by February

2010. Consequently, BG Quantock envisions there will be no
need to release any detainees after this date.

--------------
Taji/Cropper Facility Transfers
--------------


3. (C) The Minister of Justice has requested the U.S. delay
the transfer of the Taji TIF until after the elections. The
U.S. intends to honor this request and will turn over the
facility in March, with a full contingent of
transfer-eligible detainees. BG Quantock warned the GOI that
the transfer date of the Cropper TIF cannot be delayed. It
will be transferred to the GOI, with all remaining
transfer-eligible detainees by September 1, 2010. At that
time, if there are any detainees that are not transfer
eligible, they will be released.

--------------
Blue Cell Update
--------------


4. (C) BG Raheem, chief of the Iraqi Detainee Review
Committee (IDRC),noted that IDRC,s work is progressing
well. TF-134's Legal and Blue Cell Chief, Kenneth O'Rourke,
provided an update on his team,s efforts to review evidence
packets on detainees already transferred to the GOI. 1,481
detainees have already been transferred to the GOI and the
Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCC-I) has nearly 900 cases
in the judicial process, some already convicted. Of the
remaining 600, the Blue Cell has prepared additional evidence
packets on 400 cases and is prepared to turnover these
packets to the Iraqi side. One Iraqi committee member asked
Qpackets to the Iraqi side. One Iraqi committee member asked
about forensic evidence databases. O,Rourke responded that
all available evidence is turned over the GOI when a detainee
is transferred.
HILL