VZCZCXRO5004
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3058 3251400
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211400Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5523
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003058 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: PRT SALAH AD DIN: CHIEF CRIMINAL JUDGE USES 
FORENSIC EVIDENCE TO CONVICT MURDERER 
 
 ¶1. This is a PRT Salah ad Din cable. 
 
¶2. (U) Summary: On October 22, 2009, Salah ad Din Chief 
Criminal Judge Faisal Ibrahim Ali Al Azawi sentenced a young 
man to death for killing his mother in September 2007. 
Forensic evidence analyzed by the Baghdad Crime Laboratory 
cleared Coalition Forces (CF) from any role in the fatal 
shooting, and turned the Iraqi investigation toward other 
possible assailants.  End Summary. 
 
¶3. (U) During a recent visit to Salah ad Din Chief Criminal 
Judge Faisal, the Judge shared recent trial case summaries 
with the PRT Rule of Law Advisor.  A forensically significant 
case involved a murder conviction from a 2007 incident. 
 
¶4. (U) On October 22, 2009, twenty-five year old Jassim 
Sarhan Thia Alul Al Khazraji was convicted of shooting his 
52-year old mother to death in front of another adult son. 
The murder occurred on September 22, 2007, but the 
investigation stalled when the family lied to protect Jassim 
by blaming Coalition Forces (CF) for the shooting. 
 
¶5. (U) The Baghdad Crime Lab analyzed the fatal bullet and 
discovered it had been fired from a non-CF weapon.  That 
finding corroborated CF statements that no CF operations had 
occurred in the area on that day.  The Iraqi-led 
investigation used this evidence to confront family members, 
who then admitted to Jassim,s role in killing his mother. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: This case demonstrates the growing 
capabilities of Iraqi forensic analysis.  In this instance, 
the power of forensic evidence played a key role in 
successfully separating the innocent from the guilty.  End 
comment. 
HILL