1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: IRAQ

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 01731 S/CT FOR WHARTON E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL IZ SUBJECT: 1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: IRAQ REF: STATE 88525 REPEATING STATE 42378 NOT SENT TO BAGHDAD ¶1. IRAQ. ¶2. IRAQ STRONGLY DENIES ANY RELATIONSHIP TO TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. THE AVOWED TERRORIST ABU NIDAL WAS EXPELLED FROM THE COUNTRY IN 1983 AND SINCE THAT TIME IRAQ HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ESTABLISH A NEW INTERNATIONAL IMAGE AS A STATE ABHORRING TERRORISM. THIS EFFORT HAS FITTED A GENERAL PATTERN OF TRYING TO ENGENDER INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AS THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR HAS DRAGGED ON, NOW INTO ITS EIGHTH YEAR. ¶3. IRAQ HAS ALSO GONE TO GREAT EFFORTS TO DEVELOP ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLO, WHICH LIKE ALL ARAB STATES IT DOES NOT VIEW AS BEING A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. PLO CHAIRMAN ARAFAT FREQUENTLY COMES TO BAGHDAD, AND THE PLO MAINTAINS OFFICES IN BAGHDAD. IN MARCH, IRAQ PROUDLY ANNOUNCED DONATING THREE MILLION DOLLARS TO THE PLO, DESPITE IRAQ'S OWN MOUNTING INDEBTEDNESS DUE TO THE WAR. ¶4. CERTAIN PALESTINIAN GROUPS WHICH HAVE COMMITTED TERRORIST ACTIONS, SUCH AS THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION FRONT HEADED BY ABU AL-'ABBAS AND THE MAY 15 ORGANIZA- TION, ARE KNOWN TO HAVE RECEIVED SANCTUARY AND ASSISTANCE FROM IRAQ SINCE 1983. CERTAIN OF THESE GROUPS MAY HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE SUCH ASSISTANCE OR SANCTUARY IN 1987. NEWTON