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