VZCZCXRO9130
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0970 0781413
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191413Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0270
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000970 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SBU 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCRM IZ
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: JUDICIAL CONFERENCE SUPPORTS MAJOR 
CRIMES COURT IN SALAH AD DIN 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On March 14 the PRT Rule of Law Team hosted the 
province's first judicial conference since the fall of the 
former regime.  25 of Salah ad Din's judges, prosecutors, and 
high ranking police officials gathered in Tikrit for a 
day-long discussion on judicial issues in the province.  Both 
SaD Governor Hamad Hamoud al Shakti and Deputy Governor 
Abdullah Ajabarah spoke at the conference about their support 
for improving the personal security for judges and for 
establishment of a Major Crimes Court in the province. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The discussions moderated by Acting Chief Judge 
Sadoon al Azzawi and Chief Prosecutor Tariq Najim focused 
primarily on security in the province and preparations for 
the establishment of Salah ad Din's Major Crimes Court (MCC). 
 Highlighting the need to improve security province-wide, the 
Acting Chief Judge discussed his experiences when he was 
kidnapped in October 2006. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The conference's participants, from townships 
throughout the province, showed great interest in the MCC, 
which will establish a venue for proceedings against 
insurgents arrested by the Iraqi Police (IP) and Army (IA) in 
Salah ad Din.  Over the past year, one judge has been 
assassinated and two have been kidnapped.  The MCC, located 
on an IA-secured compound in Tikrit (formerly U.S. Forward 
Operating Base Danger), will co-locate detention facilities 
and courtrooms as well as provide secure housing for judges. 
When functional, the MCC will have visiting judges from other 
provinces throughout Iraq investigate and try the 
terrorism-related cases from Salah ad Din for 30 day periods, 
similar to the MCC in Ninewa Province.  The MCC is slated to 
open in April 2007. 
 
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Comment 
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¶5. (SBU) The first gathering of its kind since 2002, this 
PRT-initiated conference succeeded in bringing together the 
judicial community and putting momentum behind the 
establishment of Salah ad Din's Major Crimes Court.  Though 
much work still needs to be done on the MCC facility, it is 
clear that the province's judicial community supports the 
initiative and wants to see it succeed.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶6. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad 
Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. 
 
KHALILZAD