NSC DISCUSSES COMBATING AQI, SECURITY SERVICES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000625

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: NSC DISCUSSES COMBATING AQI, SECURITY SERVICES
OVERLAP, AND DETAINEES TRANSFERS WITH SAUDI ARABIA

Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Patricia Butenis for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary. At the March 8 National Security Council,
Iraqi officials discussed the ongoing threat from Al-Qaeda in
Iraq (AQI),how to fix the overlapping duties across Iraq's
intelligence services, moving ahead on a draft agreement with
Saudi Arabia regarding prisoner exchanges, and avoiding
regulations that could discourage foreign investment. Many
decisions were deferred because Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
and the two deputy prime ministers were not present. The NSC
agreed that the Interior Ministry should head the joint
intelligence cells at Iraq's ports of entry. End summary.

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AQI Still a Threat
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2. (C) Interior Minister Jawad Bulani briefed the attendees
on the March 8 suicide bombing at a Baghdad police academy
that killed 28. The bombing targeted police recruits, he
said, and demonstrated that "Al-Qaeda is coming back" to
Baghdad. Afterward, National Security Advisor Muwafaq
al-Rubaie briefed the group on an assessment written by five
Iraqi intelligence services:

-- Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) will try to stay alive in Mosul and
Diyala but will have problems with funding.
-- AQI will try to find new political groups with which they
will attempt to merge, will seek support from Al-Qaeda in
Africa, and will become less outwardly extremist to better
blend into Iraqi society.
-- AQI will attempt to stir sectarian violence between Kurds
and Arabs. AQI will target Awakenings and Iraqi government
buildings.


3. (C) Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari predicted AQI will
seek to portray the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq as a victory by
launching more attacks as the withdrawal deadline nears.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said to promote
distrust within AQI, the Iraqi government is publically
saying AQI members are acting as informants for the
government.

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Overlap Across Iraq's Intelligence Services
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4. (C) A presentation outlining the duties of the National
Information and Investigation Agency (NIIA) -- an
intelligence body under the MOI -- quickly widened into a
discussion regarding the poor coordination and overlapping
roles of Iraq's various intelligence services. (Note. Iraqi
officials prefer the term "security agencies" because of the
negative connotation "intelligence" has in Iraq. End note.)
NSA Rubaie said Iraq needs legislation to deconflict the
responsibilities of Iraq's intelligences services. Rubaie,
Deputy NSA Safa al-Shaykh, and Counter-Terrorism Bureau Head
Thalib Kinani agreed that all of Iraq's intelligence services
are working on counterterrorism, causing too much overlap.
Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir Mufriji recommended that a
"security agencies" bill be drafted, approved during a future
NSC meeting, and sent to parliament. Basimah al-Sa'di, aide
to the deputy NSA, suggested an executive order could clarify
the matter. A decision was deferred on this subject due to
the Prime Minister's absence. The NSC later debated whether
the MOI or the Iraqi National Intelligence Service should
head the joint intelligence cells located at Iraq's ports of
entry. Mufriji decided without opposition that the MOI should
lead.

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Draft Agreement with Saudi Arabia on Prisoner Exchanges
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5. (C) NSA Rubaie asked newly-appointed Justice Minister Dara
Q5. (C) NSA Rubaie asked newly-appointed Justice Minister Dara
Noor al-Deen to examine a draft agreement between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia on prisoner exchanges. Rubaie said PM Maliki in
October 2008 created a committee under the MOJ to vet the
details of the agreement. MOJ Noor al-Deen said he had never
heard of this committee. MOD Mufriji tasked MOJ Deen to
forward the draft agreement to the Council of Minister within
one month.

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Auditing Investors Will Discourage Foreign Funds
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6. (C) The NSC rejected a proposal to require an audit of
foreign investments designed to determine whether external
funds are supporting terrorist activities inside Iraq.
Bulani, Zebari and Mufriji said such a law would make it more

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difficult for Iraq to attract foreign investment. Dabbagh
suggested the GOI audit Iraqi contractors, not foreign firms.
Mufriji again deferred a decision due to the Prime Minister's
absence.
BUTENIS