VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #0199 0261636
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 261636Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6305
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 000199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR MPHEE, PVROOMAN, STATE FOR MCORBIN, PDELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2020 
TAGS: MOPS PHUM PINS PTER CASC IZ XP
SUBJECT: USF-I DETAINEE UPDATE: ONLY LOW-THREAT DETAINEES 
TO BE RELEASED PRIOR TO IRAQI ELECTIONS 
 
Classified By: PM MinCouns Cameron Munter for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). 
 
¶1.  (S) Summary. The transfers of U.S.-held detainees and the 
two remaining U.S.-run theater internment facilities (TIFs) 
to the GOI appear to be on track. However, rather than 
continuing to release 300 detainees per month, as in November 
and December of 2009, United States Forces - Iraq (USF-I) 
plans to release only low-threat ("green") detainees in the 
run-up to the Iraqi national elections in March.  USF-I is 
hopeful that all detainees currently in U.S. TIFs will be 
eligible for transfer with these facilities. To this end, the 
U.S. will continue to provide assistance to the GOI so that 
they are able to produce arrest warrants and detention orders 
on all remaining U.S.-held detainees.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (S) In accordance with the Security Agreement between the 
U.S. and the GOI, since January 1, 2009, USF-I, in 
coordination with the GOI, has made 260 counter-terrorism 
captures; released 7,968 detainees; and, transferred 1,611 
detainees to the GOI.  Because of the sensitivity associated 
with the upcoming Iraqi national elections, USF-I intends to 
release only "green" detainees who still remain in USF-I 
custody, rather than release 300 detainees per month, as 
previously done. 
 
¶3.  (S) As of January 26, there were approximately 5,860 
detainees in USF-I custody.  Of that number, 3,030 were 
housed in the Taji TIF and 2,830 remain in the Cropper TIF. 
USF-I and the GOI have agreed that the U.S. will transfer the 
Taji TIF to the GOI on March 15, with a population of about 
3,000 medium-threat "amber" detainees, according to MG David 
Quantock, Deputy Commanding General - Detainee Operations 
(DCG-DO). (Note and Comment: The Taji TIF has a capacity to 
house 5,000 detainees. By transferring Taji with 3,000 
detainees, the U.S. will give the GOI the flexibility to 
transfer detainees from other overcrowded Iraqi detention 
facilities to the fully-equipped Taji facility (septel). End 
Note and Comment.) 
 
¶4.  (S) In addition to the Taji TIF transfer plans, USF-I 
plans, at this time, to transfer the Cropper TIF to the GOI 
in July instead of August.  The detainee population of 
approximately 2,800 individuals will consist of high-threat 
("red") detainees and "amber" AQI-affiliated detainees. After 
July, USF-I will maintain 122 bed spaces, at Camp Victory, 
for new counter-terrorism captures and a very few Enduring 
Security Threats. 
 
¶5.  (S) In order to accomplish the goal of transferring the 
two TIFs with all of the remaining U.S.-held detainees, MG 
Quantock informed the GOI, on January 14, that of the 5,860 
detainees still in U.S. custody, approximately 1,700 
detainees were release eligible, meaning the GOI had not 
issued a detention order, arrest warrant or conviction order 
on those detainees.  MG Quantock then provided Joint 
Subcommittee on Detainee Affairs (JCC-DA) Co-Chair MG Husayn 
Kamal, Ministry of the Interior, National Information and 
Investigation Agency (NIIA), a list containing the names of 
those release-eligible detainees. At that time, they both 
agreed that those included on the list posed a serious threat 
to Iraqi security. The U.S. delegation further agreed to 
provide a computer disk containing information on this group, 
with the understanding that the GOI would further vet these 
individuals and produce arrest warrants or detention orders. 
 
¶6.  (S) As of January 26, the GOI had issued 4,157 arrest 
warrants or detention orders and has promised to provide 
Qwarrants or detention orders and has promised to provide 
further paperwork on another 790 more U.S.-held detainees in 
the coming days, according to MG Quantock. He also stated 
that, as requested, he expects to receive arrest warrants or 
detention orders on the majority of detainees currently being 
held by USF-I. 
 
HILL