VZCZCXRO7948
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDH RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0059/01 0100845
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100845Z JAN 10 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6060
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000059 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
JUSTICE FOR ODAG, CRM, OPDAT, ICITAP 
STATE FOR NEA/I, INL/I 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM IZ KCRM
SUBJECT: CSI IRAQ: FORENSIC SCIENCE REGAINING FOOTHOLD 
 
REF: A. 10 BAGHDAD 35 
     ¶B. 09 BAGHDAD 3058 
 
BAGHDAD 00000059  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Forty years ago Iraq was a leading center 
in the Middle East for scientific and medical evidence and 
the rule of law.  Many senior Iraqi Police Officers involved 
in the forensics program have worked in the forensic field 
for over 20 years, and the GOI is, with US, UK, and 
Australian Governments, assistance, resurrecting its 
forensic capabilities nationwide.  In addition to three 
operational Criminal Evidence Laboratories in Baghdad, Basra 
and Erbil, several criminal cases investigated during 2009 
indicate that Iraq has the ability to analyze forensic 
evidence and use it in court to prove guilt or innocence. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
Laboratories Established 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a coordinated effort, the USG, HMG, and 
Australian Government have helped the GOI establish three 
main operational criminal evidence laboratories in Baghdad, 
Erbil, and Basrah and two smaller forensics facilities in 
Hillah and Mosul since 2006. The main facilities have the 
capability to examine items for comparative analysis such as 
fingerprints, ballistics and documents.  These facilities 
also have equipment and trained personnel to produce 
analytical evidence such as chemical and biological analysis. 
 Current responsibility for medical evidence lies with the 
Ministry of Health (MOH), which conducts DNA and other 
medical analysis at the MOH Medical Legal Institute in 
Baghdad. 
 
¶3. (SBU) A fully equipped and functioning training laboratory 
at the Baghdad Police College campus located in the Rusafa 
district of Baghdad supports the Baghdad, Basrah, and Erbil 
facilities.  The Baghdad Police College training laboratory 
conducts skills development programs for investigators.  The 
GOI plans to construct three additional criminal evidence 
laboratories with the ultimate aim of standing up 
laboratories in each province.  In addition, a plan to build 
a specialist laboratory for the examination of explosives is 
being developed by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) with the 
assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Military. 
 
Criminal Cases Involving Forensics Make Headlines 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4. (SBU) In 2009, there were several noteworthy criminal 
cases in Iraq that utilized various types of forensic 
evidence.  In February, Iraqi Police in Basra operating a 
checkpoint at Al Jwaber stopped and searched a vehicle. 
During the search police found a 100 ml bottle containing a 
white coloured chemical substance.  Suspecting that this 
substance may have been some form of explosive the owner of 
the car was arrested and detained and the bottle was seized 
as evidence.  Iraqi Police later completed a written 
laboratory submission requesting the analysis of this bottled 
substance and conveyed the sample to the Criminal Evidence 
Laboratory in Basra.  Lab analysis of the sample determined 
it to be a polymer resin used in the building trade and not 
an explosive compound.  The Investigative Judge handling the 
case, on reading the findings of the lab, ordered the release 
of the man detained at Al Thasar. (COMMENT: This appears to 
be one of the first cases in Basra of use of forensics to 
prove the innocence of a detained person. It is evidence of 
the readiness of the judiciary to accept and act upon the 
Qthe readiness of the judiciary to accept and act upon the 
finding of the lab and represents a significant positive step 
forward for the Iraqi Police and the Basra lab. END COMMENT) 
 
¶5. (SBU) In September, Iraqi police attended a shooting case 
in Basra originally labelled a suicide after interviews with 
the female victim,s family. A scene examination by forensic 
personnel revealed that the body had been moved. Marks on the 
body suggested the victim may also have been restrained. The 
family was re-questioned and subsequently revealed that the 
victim was involved with a man not liked by the family so it 
was believed she had been killed. Ballistic examination of 
the cartridge found at the scene by trained examiners showed 
the bullet was fired from the gun belonging to the victim,s 
brother, a serving policeman.  After forensic evidence from 
the case was presented to a judge, an arrest warrant was 
 
BAGHDAD 00000059  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
issued and the suspect is currently in Iraqi custody awaiting 
a court appearance. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In a criminal case decided in October in Salah ad 
Din province, ballistics analysis conducted at the Baghdad 
Criminal Evidence Laboratory was used to convict a man for 
killing his mother after he claimed Coalition Forces had been 
involved (REF B).  Iraqi investigators used the evidence 
analyzed at the lab to confront the family of the accused, 
who admitted to the man,s role in killing his mother. 
 
The Future 
--------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: The GOI,s advances are indicative of a 
desire on the part of Iraqi police and judges to regain the 
standing that the country once enjoyed in the field of 
forensic science.  It is important to note that forensic 
evidence plays a key role in successfully separating the 
innocent from the guilty.  Sustained commitment to use of 
forensic evidence at trial will be assessed in the coming 
year as joint US, UK, and Australian training efforts are 
coordinated with the Higher Judicial Council (HJC), MOI and 
MOH.  END COMMENT. 
HILL