SUNNI IMAM'S FORAY INTO NON-SECTARIAN POLITICS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000048 E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/19/2019 TAGS: PGOV PINR SOCI IZ SUBJECT: SUNNI IMAM'S FORAY INTO NON-SECTARIAN POLITICS CLASSIFIED BY: Rick Roberts, PRT Babil Team Leader, PRT Babil, DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Babil cable. Summary and Comment -------------- ¶2. (C) Summary and Comment: On August 19, PRT Babil met with Sheikh Fadel al-Janaby to follow up on Embassy's request to find out more about the reported announcement of a new political entity in Babil on August 13. The PRT had not previously met Sheikh Fadel; biographic details gathered in the meeting are included in para 8. The new political entity, the Iraqi National Unified Front, allegedly has the support of 700 "leaders" from all over Iraq and purports to have a populist non-religious and non-sectarian agenda to appeal to the 50 percent of the Iraqi population that didn't vote in the last national elections. Sheikh Fadel asked the USG to fund the registration fee for the Iraqi National Unified Front and suggested releasing detainees with large followings so they could bring their groups into the political process. He also made allegations that the Governor of Babil is a secret Sadrist, which we have not been able t o confirm independently, and that the Babil Police Chief "works for Badr," which is consistent with what other sources have told us about sectarian bias in the IP. We have so far been unable to confirm whether 700 "leaders" attended the launch event, but it seems likely to us that the figure is an exaggeration. Although Sheikh Fadel made a lot of remarks which appeared sincere in support of non-sectarian principles including the separation of church and state, he clearly has a strong Sunni bias which calls into question his ability to serve as an honest power broker. Overall, we are not convinced that the front has the support Sheikh Fadel claims and have serious doubts that the new political entity could achieve the sort of political following it would need to be a significant player in the upcoming elections. End Summary and Comment. The Iraqi National Unified Front -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Sheikh Fadel said he and his cousin Sheikh Saadoun al-Janaby had launched the new political entity, the Iraqi National Unified Front, at a meeting at his house in Hamiya in North Babil on August 13. He asserted that 700 "leaders" from all over Iraq attended the meeting, but when asked did not name any of the other participants. The Iraqi National Unified Front is reportedly intended to address the concerns of the 50 percent of Iraqis that he alleges did not vote in the last national elections by offering a non-sectarian alternative to the current parties. Sheikh Fadel believes the new front could win a majority of the seats in the COR and replace the Da'wa coalition. He blamed Iraq's problems on the sectarian and religious nature of the majority of the existing Iraqi political parties, and indicated the new front wanted to move away form sectarian politics and towards "a good government, a non-sectarian government, a non-religious government." He also asserted that the current Iraqi political system is controlled by an elite class, much as it was under Saddam Hussein: "In every village, we have /a/ Saddam." The new front reportedly has a populist approach and its plan to develop its as-yet- unspecified program is to "go to the 50 percent who did not vote, ask them what they want from their parliament, and put that together in one program." Sheikh Fadel claimed he has been traveling all over Iraq talking to local tribal and religious "leaders" to discuss this idea with them. The Iraqi National Unified Front has not yet developed a slate of candidates. Requests for the USG: Fund the Iraqi National Unified Front; Release Detainees -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Sheikh Fadel said he needed USD 30,000 to pay the registration fees for the Iraqi national Unified front so it could compete in the upcoming national elections, and asked that the US pay these fees. He said he could get the much money and more by calling any number of neighboring Arab countries, but he did not want to ask them for money because they would put conditions on their funding. When asked by PRT leader why he didn't ask the 700 "leaders" who reportedly participated in the launch of the front for small contributions to fund the fees, he wasn't able to provide an answer. If the US was unable to provide a cash contribution, he suggested the US could "give us some contracts to support us; this will be in a legal way." Sheikh Fadel commented that CF detention of individuals who are later released is unhelpful because "they are angry no matter what you say." He supported release of detainees "who have control of a lot of people, so they can bring people into the political process." Allegations CF killed a civilian -------------- ¶5. (U) Sheikh Fadel claimed to have proof of CF's "wanton killing" of a civilian about three months ago. PRT Leader advised him that the US takes these allegations very seriously, and requested that he provide us with what he has on the incident so that we can investigate the allegations that a crime was committed. We have not yet received anything from Sheikh Fadel. Claims Provincial Government is Sectarian -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Sheikh Fadel asserted that Governor Zargany, who claims to be an independent, is actually a Sadrist. He also cited problems with the Sons of Iraq program, saying that he put 70 people into that program and now more than half of them have been fired and the others have been transferred outside the province "just because they are Sunnis." Sheikh Fadel alleged that Babil Police Chief General Fadil Raddad "works for Badr" and is "the most sectarian guy in the province." He further claimed that General Raddad served as Saddam's Chief of Intelligence in An Najaf, "but he is Badr, so they leave him in place." Tribal Support Council is a Da'wa Group -------------- ¶7. (SBU) According to Sheikh Fadel, the Tribal Support group is a holdover from Saddam and is a tool of Da'wa. He said that he turned down an opportunity to participate in the council, because it exists for the purpose of co-opting tribal leaders by paying them off. Bio note -------------- ¶8. (SUB) Bio note: This was the first time the PRT met with him, although he claims to have met with Embassy Baghdad officials in the past. Sunni. From North Babil. Member of the prominent al-Janaby tribe and a significant individual in North Babil. Trained as an electrical engineer. Religious Sheikh, chief of the Al Amr clan of a sub tribe under Sheikh Adnan al-Janaby. Brother of Sheikh Abdulnasr al- Janaby; Sheikh Abdulnasr is a former COR member who was accused of working with AQI. Sheikh Fadel acknowledged that his brother "works in the resistance." Wore Western dress, shook hands with female IPAO. Was able to conduct the meeting largely in English; we understood his remarks, but a translator was sometimes required to explain our questions to him. ROBERTS