RESPONSE TO AUSTRALIAN QUESTIONS ON IRAQI WMD

S E C R E T STATE 023141 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2034 TAGS: AS IZ PARM PINR PINS PREL PTER SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO AUSTRALIAN QUESTIONS ON IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST REF: A. 09 CANBERRA 000121 ¶B. 08 CANBERRA 309 ¶C. 07 CANBERRA 1795 ¶D. 07 STATE 169818 ¶E. 07 CANBERRA 1651 ¶F. 07 STATE 157364 ¶G. 07 CANBERRA 1217 ¶H. 07 STATE 84894 ¶I. 12/20/2007 CROWLEY-KUCHINSKY E-MAIL AND PREVIOUS Classified By: ISN/CTR Acting Director PHIL DOLLIFF Reasons: 1.4 (b) & (d) 1.(S//NF) SUMMARY: Since 2006, ISN/CTR's Iraq Scientist Engagement Program (ISEP) has engaged former Iraqi WMD scientist Ali Abdul Rahman al-Za'ag through an ISEP-sponsored fellowship at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. With ISEP's encouragement, al-Za'ag applied for an Australian visa in early 2008. The Government of Australia (GOA) denied this visa application. In January 2009, al-Za'ag reapplied for an Australian visa. Subsequently, the GOA inquired whether the USG had any role in al-Za'ag's decision to reapply for an Australian visa. While ISEP currently engages al-Za'ag on a fellowship in Jordan, the USG had no role in al-Za'ag's decision to reapply for an Australian visa. 2.(S//NF) Background: Since 2006, ISN/CTR's Iraq Scientist Engagement Program (ISEP) has engaged Iraqi biologist Ali Abdul Rahman al-Za'ag through an ISEP-sponsored fellowship at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. In early 2008, ISEP sought to relocate al-Za'ag to Australia so that he could work at Victoria University. At the time, the Government of Australia declined the USG's request to grant al-Za'ag a visa, citing "a range of compelling security, immigration and legal reasons." According to CANBERRA 000121, on February 4 the GOA notified Embassy Canberra that al-Za'ag reapplied for an Australian visa at the Australian Embassy in Amman, Jordan on January 21, 2009. The GOA inquired about whether the USG had any role in al-Za'ag's decision to reapply for an Australian visa and al-Za'ag's recent activities. 3.(SBU) Information for the GOA: The State Department's Iraq Scientist Engagement Program continues to support several former Iraqi scientists through temporary relocation fellowships. While ISEP currently engages al-Za'ag on a temporary relocation fellowship in Jordan, the USG had no role in al-Za'ag's recent decision to reapply for an Australian visa. Al-Za'ag's most recent ISEP-sponsored work has focused on developing a report on rebuilding Iraq's scientific infrastructure and developing an Arabic language biosafety checklist. With other funding sources, Al-Za'ag is also pursuing work related to DNA forensics. CLINTON