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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 BAGHDAD 004800SUBJECT: UPDATED STATUS OF IRAQ DETAINEE ABUSEINVESTIGATIONS

REF: A. BAGHDAD 4745B. BAGHDAD 4716C. BAGHDAD 4672Classified By: Classified by Evan Reade, ActingCounselor for Political-Military Affairs forReasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

-------SUMMARY-------

¶1. (S/NF) Three committees investigating humanrights abuses committed against 168 detainees atthe Iraqi Ministry Interior (MOI) Bunker facilityand others at similar facilities nationwide aremaking uneven progress. The mandate of somecommittees has been overwhelmed by the politicalagenda of Shi'a politicians close to the PM'soffice and MOI; others may yet prove productive.

----------BACKGROUND----------

¶2. (SBU) In the wake of the November 13 discoveryof 168 detainees - many bearing marks of physicalabuse - in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions atan unofficial MOI detention facility in theJadriyah district of Baghdad (the "Bunker"), thePrime Minister appointed two committees to addressallegations of detainee abuse by Iraqi authorities:(i) a Bunker Investigation Committee led byDeputy Prime Minister Rowsh Shaways andcomprised of assorted Iraqi officials andprivate citizens, tasked with reporting onBunker detainees' allegations of abuse;(ii) a National Investigation Committee led byPM military assistant Major General Talib alKinani and comprised of representatives from theMinistries of Heath, Justice, and Human Rights,tasked with inspecting Iraqi detentionfacilities nationwide.In addition, a third committee comprised ofinvestigating judges has been established by JudgeMedhat al Mahmood, Chief of the Iraqi HigherJuridical Council, to assess the legality of Bunkerdetainees' imprisonment, recommend their futuredisposition, investigate allegations of abuse andmurder, and consider charges against Iraqiofficials involved.

------------------------------------- NOVEMBER 27: INTERVIEWS AT ABU GHRAIB-------------------------------------

¶3. (SBU) On November 27, members of the BunkerInvestigation Committee visited Abu Ghraib toconduct interviews with detainees removed onNovember 13 from the Jadriyah Bunker (currentlyhoused in a separate detention compound usuallyreserved for Coalition security internees awaitingrelease). Embassy Rule of Law (ROL) Coordinator,MNF-I Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, andPolMilOff were present.¶4. (S/NF) Upon arrival at Abu Ghraib, thecommittee leader - Rashid Majid Salih Khattab alNasiri, a medical doctor and prominent Da'wa Partymember - selected a small group of detainees fromthe crowd, seemingly at random, and ordered thatthey be brought to the tent reserved for interviewsand seated in rows of plastic chairs before thecommittee.¶5. (S/NF) Committee members watched as Dr. alNasiri asked selected detainees to unzip theirjumpsuits to the waist, then inspected their feet(most were wearing sandals). Dr. al-Nasiriexpressed impatience with detainees who interruptedthe brief examination to report threateningbehavior or other complaints against MOI officials,exclaiming "I am here to see scars, not to talkabout bad words!"