VZCZCXRO2789
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0327/01 0301812
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301812Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9348
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000327 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PRM/A; DHS FOR BCIS HEADQUARTERS, OFFICE OF 
ASYLUM, REFUGEES AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS; CAIRO FOR 
REFCOORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: REFUGEE ADMISSIONS REFERRAL:  ZEYAD TARIQ KADHEM 
 
REF: 2006 STATE 326248 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Embassy Baghdad would like to refer the following 
locally employed staff from the Regional Embassy Office (REO) 
in Al-Hillah to the US refugee admissions program (USRAP). 
Below is biographic information of the principal applicant 
and dependents, a description of the persecution claim and 
his current economic means, and justification for 
recommending him for the USRAP. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) 
 
Principal applicant (PA): 
 
NAME:  Zeyad Tarik Kadhem 
DOB:  25 July 1970 
POB:  Al Hillah, Iraq 
Passport Number: S 0296302 
Gender: Male 
Marital Status: Married 
 
Dependents: 
 
NAME:  Shaima Safa Al Khalaf 
DOB:  7 February 1977 
POB:  Baghdad 
Passport Number:  S 2336398 
Gender:  Female 
Relation to PA: Wife 
 
NAME: Naba Zeyad Tariq 
DOB: 15 June 2002 
POB: Al Hillah, Iraq 
Gender: Female 
Relation to PA: Daughter 
 
NAME: Meriam Zeyad Tariq 
DOB: 25 September 2004 
POB: No further Information 
Gender: Female 
Relation to PA: Daughter 
 
¶3. (SBU) Description of persecution claim, as presented by 
the PA himself:  Zeyad was hired by the Al-Hillah REO in 
January of 2005.  In early December of 2007, Zeyad 's cousin 
was taken by Jaysh Al-Mahdi (JAM) militias before a sharia 
court in a husseniya (Shia mosque) in Al-Hillah controlled by 
supporters of radical Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr.  Zeyad's 
cousin was told that Zeyad should turn himself in and appear 
before the court, or that they would go and get him.  The JAM 
stated that they knew where he lived, and that he was 
badmouthing Muqtada Al-Sadr in public.  They also stated that 
he should not be working for the US consulate (REO) as an 
interpreter for American VIPs.  Additionally, an anonymous 
caller phoned Zeyad to tell him to come before the same 
sharia court.  On December 24, Zeyad's brother and his 
brother's father-in-law where kidnapped in Baghdad.  After 
the family paid for the ransom, the kidnappers released the 
father-in-law, but killed Zeyad's brother.  Zeyad believes 
his brother was killed, despite payment of the ransom, 
because they knew Zeyad worked for the REO.  Zeyad thought 
about leaving the country then, but decided to stay for at 
least the forty days of mourning that religious tradition 
called for.  In addition to his brother, a driver and a 
bodyguard were also killed.  Of the USD 225,000 collected 
from family members to pay for the ransom, Zeyad contributed 
USD 20,000. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Zeyad started working for Americans on April of 
2003, when he volunteered to translate and assist US Marines 
with the 1st battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division.  He 
was then hired as an interpreter for the battalion's 
psychological operations unit.  Zeyad states that his work 
caused a group of former Iraqi military to threaten him.  In 
September of 2003 he was hired by the Coalition Provisional 
Authority.  Zeyad reports that one night in the winter of 
2004, someone in a car opened fire against him while shouting 
"die you pig".  Fortunately, the shooter missed and Zeyad was 
not harmed.  Two months after this incident, Zeyad says that 
he received a written threat (left in his house) from an 
Islamic group stating that he should quit working for 
infidels or they would kill him and his family.  As the 
security situation deteriorated, Zeyad's life has become more 
difficult.  He limits all his movements and avoids social 
contacts with friends and acquaintances, particularly since 
the assassination of his brother. 
 
 
BAGHDAD 00000327  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Refcoord has spoken with Zeyad and with American 
Foreign Service Officers in Al-Hillah who are aware of his 
situation and support his referral to the USRAP.  Zeyad has 
also presented recommendation letters from Marines who are 
his former supervisors praising his service and dedication 
and acknowledging that Zeyad has received threats as a result 
of his association with the USG. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Zeyad is getting ready to depart for Egypt with his 
wife and daughter.  He explained to the Refcoord that, after 
paying the USD 20,000 to try to get his brother released, he 
can not afford to go Jordan or Syria (Note:  Many Iraqis 
consider Cairo as more affordable than Amman or Damascus. 
End note).  Zeyad said he may only be able to put together 
USD 10,000 to pay for his trip and his and his family's 
expenses in Cairo.  Zeyad is in the process of obtaining 
Egyptian visas and has indicated to a REO management officer 
that he may leave Iraq in about four weeks.  Depending on the 
price of the plane tickets, it is likely that Zeyad will need 
economic assistance once he is in Cairo. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) JUSTIFICATION FOR RESETTLEMENT:  Embassy Baghdad 
and REO Al-Hillah believe that Zeyad is under threat on 
account of his employment with the US government.  Zeyad has 
spoken with the police chief of Al-Hillah, who has expressed 
sympathy for his situation but has openly admitted not to be 
in a position to protect him. 
SPECKHARD