VZCZCXRO2264
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0867 0710840
ZNY EEEEE ZZH
P 120840Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0124
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS E F T O BAGHDAD 000867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PRM/A; DHS FOR BCIS HEADQUARTERS; CAIRO FOR 
REFCOORD; AMMAN FOR REFCOORD AND CONSULAR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2017 
TAGS: PREF PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: US REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM REFERRAL OF LOCALLY 
EMPLOYED STAFF NABIL AL-BASSAM 
 
REF: STATE 16383 
 
¶1.  Embassy Baghdad would like to refer the following 
locally-employed staff to the US Refugee Admissions Program 
(USRAP) 
 
¶2.  (SBU) 
 
Principal applicant (PA): 
 
NAME: Nabil Al-Bassam (a.k.a. Nabil Sh. Ibrahem) 
DOB:  July 22, 1970 
POB:  Diyala 
Passport Number: S 487540 
Gender: Male 
Marital Status: Married 
 
Dependents: 
 
NAME: Nahla A. Mohammed 
DOB:  December 17, 1979 
POB:  Diyala 
Passport Number: H 0346021 
Gender: Female 
Marital Status: Married 
Relation to PA: Wife 
 
NAME: Zaid Nabil Shamil 
DOB:  December 29, 2005 
POB: 
Passport Number: H 0346021 (mother's passport) 
Gender: Male 
Marital Status:  Single 
Relation to PA:  Son 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Description of persecution claim, as reported by 
Nabil and his American supervisor: Nabil Al-Bassam is a 
locally-employed staff (LES) webmaster at the Public Affairs 
Section.  He has been employed at the Embassy since June of 
¶2004.  Prior to joining the Embassy, Nabil worked as an 
open-source analyst for US military intelligence for one year 
(May 2003 - June 2004).  Nabil has been in temporary refuge 
at the American Embassy Annex compound in Baghdad's 
International Zone since December 21, 2006, when a merchant 
in his neighborhood (Karada) warned him that members of the 
Jaysh Al-Mahdi (JAM) militias had been asking about him by 
name.  In early February, Nabil's mother (with whom he shares 
the house) warned him not to return home because three men 
were surveilling the house and presumably looking for him. 
Nabil is convinced that he will be abducted if he returns to 
his neighborhood.  Even before the USG announced an increase 
in the number of Iraqis that will be admitted to the US under 
the USRAP, Nabil informed his supervisors that he would be 
quitting his job in the Embassy and leave Iraq once he could 
no longer stay at the International Zone (note: the Embassy 
provides temporary emergency refuge to LES facing threats or 
emergencies, but can not extend this option for long periods 
of time or to LES family members, as the number of living 
quarters are limited.  End note).  Last year a PAS FSN was 
kidnapped, and in January of 2007 one of the PAS LES was 
killed in a car bomb attack in Karada. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Nabil is one of the best LES in the PAS, 
consistently showing dedication and professionalism.  For the 
past two-and-a-half months his American supervisors have seen 
him endure extreme anxiety and undergo panic attacks as the 
expiration date of his temporary refuge approached.  Since 
December, Nabil has not seen his wife or 14 month old son. 
Nabil is scheduled to leave for Amman with his wife and 
children on March 12.  Embassy Amman has been notified about 
his arrival. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Justification for resettlement:  Nabil's case was 
brought before the Embassy's Refugee Committee on March 8, 
and the committee found his case to be credible and to 
warrant direct (track A) referral to the USRAP. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Financial situation of PA: Nabil has savings that 
should allow him to support his family and himself in Jordan 
for about six months.  Class namechecks have been conducted 
(no hits) for Nabil and family. 
SPECKHARD