29.10.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Iraqi intelligence accused of torture ("original document") [ID 10577]

"SCIRI ACCUSES IRAQI INTELLIGENCE OF TORTURE. Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), told Al-Jazeera television in a 23 October interview that he was surprised by accusations made by Iraqi intelligence that SCIRI is involved in the assassination of members of the intelligence community. "We know many of them. They are the remnants of the former regime who still employ the same old mentality and thus commit acts in violation of the endorsed State Administration Law," he said. Al-Hakim accused intelligence officers of "conducting raids and arresting, torturing, and imprisoning individuals." "If they maintain such conduct, then we will expose to Iraqis and to the entire world the true nature of the criminal acts being committed by these bodies," he said. SCIRI also posted a statement to its website (http://www.sciri.ws) on 23 October that cited a recent survey by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute (http://www.iri.org) that found that the majority of Iraqis polled would support an Islamic state. "The conflicting paths of these two arguments clearly demonstrate how distant those biased intelligence parties, which are trying to derail democracy in our new Iraq, are from the pulse of the Iraqi street," the statement said. (Kathleen Ridolfo)"

Document(s): original document

22.10.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Intelligence services attempting to kill former Iraqi interim National Security Adviser ("original document") [ID 10578]

"FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. Former Iraqi interim National Security Adviser Muwaffaq al-Rubay'i reportedly survived an assassination attempt on 17 October, Voice of the Mujahedin Radio reported on 19 October. Al-Rubay'i's vehicle was reportedly attacked in the upscale Mansur neighborhood of Baghdad as he traveled to his home.

The radio station reported that al-Rubay'i, who has apparently been forced out of the interim administration, accused unnamed members of the government and intelligence services of attempting to kill him. Iraqi National Congress (INC) leader Ahmad Chalabi launched similar accusations against Iraqi intelligence chief General Muhammad al-Shahwani on 16 October, Voice of the Mujahidin reported. Chalabi accused al-Shahwani of spying on Iraqi political parties, and arresting citizens on baseless grounds. Chalabi also accused al-Shahwani of stirring sectarianism and directing false accusations against Iraqi political parties. Al-Shahwani this week accused some Iraqi political parties of receiving financial assistance from neighboring countries that seek to influence the political climate in Iraq. (Kathleen Ridolfo)"

Document(s): original document

30.07.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Former intelligence agents and officials return to their jobs ("original document") [ID 10579]

"LONDON NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON REEMERGENCE OF MUKHABARAT. London's "The Sunday Times" reported on 25 July that the Iraqi Mukhabarat is being resurrected through the rehiring of former intelligence agents. Citing "sources" in Baghdad, the weekly reports that the word has been put out that former intelligence agents and officials are welcome to return to their jobs as long as they are not wanted criminals or "well-known torturers and mass killers," one intelligence official said.

According to the report, hundreds of junior to mid-level officers from the deposed Hussein regime have already returned to their jobs at the General Security Directorate. The weekly also reports that the intelligence agents are returning to many of their old practices. One source at the directorate said, "There is a network of informants stretching all over the country. Taxi drivers, shop sellers and businessmen -- they are all sending us information. Some of it we pass to the Americans. Some of it we keep for ourselves." While it is quite necessary to rely upon a system of informants in a country like Iraq, it is the treatment of individuals detained as a result of information culled that provokes concern. One source told "The Sunday Times" that intelligence agents "eliminated" a network of 23 Iranian "spies" that were "working against the government and the Iraqi people." The source claimed that Iraqi intelligence agents killed the men, who entered the country disguised as businessmen. The paper reported that it was unable to independently verify those claims. If true, however, it presents a poor outlook for a future democratic Iraq.

There have been reports in the international media that Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has himself practiced strong-arm tactics since assuming his post (see "RFE/RL Iraq Report," 22 July 2004). "The Sunday Times" reported that Allawi, a former Ba'ath Party member, may have served as a Mukhabarat agent in London until a falling out with the Hussein regime, which purportedly attempted to kill him in London in 1978. The weekly cites claims by former CIA officer Vincent Cannistraro who alleges that Allawi was "a paid Mukhabarat agent." Allawi's representatives have denied the allegations, as have many of his colleagues in the former Iraqi opposition."

Document(s): original document

22.07.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

New security organ: General Security Directorate ("original document") [ID 10580]

"IRAQI PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES CREATION OF SECURITY ORGAN. Iyad Allawi announced on 15 July the creation of a new domestic security branch that will work to combat militant activities in Iraq, international media reported. The General Security Directorate will "annihilate these groups" Allawi said, washingtonpost.com reported on 16 July. He added that he will call upon neighboring states to help secure Iraq's borders and help bolster Iraqi security forces through the provision of military equipment and other aid during his tour of Arab states next week. Asked whether the directorate will employ former intelligence officers who served under former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Allawi said "no," adding: "We will seek the help of professional people who have expertise and...are present in all parts of Iraq and we will employ them in this new unit," Al-Jazeera reported."

Document(s): original document

30.01.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

IRAQI SECRET POLICE OPERATING IN AL-BASRAH ("original document") [ID 10582]

"London's "The Sunday Times" reportedly has uncovered the existence of a secret police force operating in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Basrah that has purportedly kidnapped, detained, and even killed former Ba'ath Party members, the newspaper reported on 25 January. The report contends that the Istikhbarat al-Shurta (Police Intelligence) unit is operating with the approval of British forces, which are responsible for southern Iraq. The families of Iraqis kidnapped at gunpoint by the unit have said that British officials have not helped them in locating their relatives.

According to the report, a senior commander of the unit told a "Sunday Times" reporter that the unit employed members of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq's (SCIRI) armed wing, the Badr Brigades. He also said that armed Badr members had assisted the unit in "dangerous" missions. A number of prisoners were seen during a visit to the police intelligence headquarters in Al-Basrah, many of whom had reportedly been left handcuffed and blindfolded for four or five days.

The U.S.-led occupation authority disarmed Badr fighters last year following the overthrow of the Hussein regime. Since that time, it has been reported that the armed wing has sought revenge against former regime members. Some of the victims are reportedly former Ba'ath Party members that were encouraged to register as such and reapply for their jobs. The report said that some victims were killed in the street after they left the registration office.

"When talking to normal ordinary people, we say that we are police, but in fact we work for the government," Istikhbarat al-Shurta Deputy Director Abbas Abd al-Ali told "The Sunday Times." "Only one-third of our work is police work. The rest is civilian intelligence and intelligence for state officials," he added. "We have our eyes and ears everywhere around the city."

Meanwhile, an unnamed spokesman for Britain's 20th Armored Brigade told the newspaper that the force is officially known to the coalition as the "special operations department." "We know there are certain ways of the past that have to be unlearnt. If [the Police Intelligence unit] or anyone are keeping people blindfolded and handcuffed for an extended period then that is not acceptable," he said. He added that the British would not support the integration of any militias into the police force. (...)"

Document(s): original document