HIGH LEVEL CORRUPTION ARRESTS CONDUCTED BY GIROA MAJOR

S E C R E T KABUL 003433 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/SRAP, SCA/A, INL FBI FOR DIRECTOR AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS DIVISION E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2019 TAGS: KJUS KCRM KCOR PGOV AF SUBJECT: HIGH LEVEL CORRUPTION ARRESTS CONDUCTED BY GIROA MAJOR CRIMES TASK FORCE REF: KABUL 3419 Classified by Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Afghanistan has scored several firsts against corruption as Major Crimes Task Force (MCTF) investigators from the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and National Directorate of Security (NDS) arrested the Chief of the Border Police of Kandahar, Brigadier General Saifullah Hakim, and two subordinates October 19 for theft, bribery, corruption, and money laundering. End summary. ¶2. (U) The MCTF is an Afghan Government entity mentored by the FBI and the UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) that focuses on kidnapping, anti-corruption, and organized crime. It now consists of approximately 40 investigators from the MOI and NDS. Interior Minister General Nazar Nikzad commands the MTCF; his deputy is NDS Colonel Ahmed Shah. ¶3. (S/NF) The MCTF Corruption Investigation Unit developed credible evidence in June 2009 that General Saifullah Hakim, the Chief of the Border Police in Kandahar, and Colonel Abdul Latif, Major Abdul Wakil, Colonel Mohammad Usman, and Colonel Mohammad Khan, all Afghan Border Police, were involved in falsifying border police pay records. The falsified records showed 2800 officers on the books when in fact only 1200 existed. The evidence showed Hakim and the others diverting the pay for these non-existent officials for their own use. ¶4. (S/NF) The investigation, including wiretaps and analysis of financial records, supported the issuance of arrest and search warrants in early October. On October 19, General Hakim, Col Latif and Major Wakil were lured to Kabul in a ruse operation and arrested in the Ministry of Interior building without incident. The arrested officers reportedly confessed, when confronted with the evidence. Usman and Khan will be arrested in the near future. ¶5. (S/NF) At Minister of the Interior Mohammad Hanif Atmar's behest, MOI and NDS Major Crimes Task Force officers conducted all the law enforcement actions. General Nakzad, the MCTF Commander, was present to ensure General Hakim was arrested in a manner respectful of his position and rank. Hakim is currently being held in a jail in the MOI complex. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: These arrests show a significant step forward in anti-corruption efforts in Afghanistan and illustrate several successful "firsts" for the MCTF. It is the first use of evidentiary intercepts for non-counternarcotics activity. These are also the first corruption arrests that involve charges of money laundering. Finally, this is the first corruption case that will involve asset seizure and forfeiture. Interior Minister Atmar has expressed his satisfaction with the mission and suggested it should serve as a model for future investigations and arrests. With increasing MCTF investigative capacity likely will come further arrests, requiring increased GIRoA capacity to prosecute, convict, and incarcerate MCTF's major criminal targets. End comment. EIKENBERRY