VZCZCXRO7949
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDH RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0083/01 0130814
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130814Z JAN 10 ZDS ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6100
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000083 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PHUM PGOV ASEC PREL EAID KJUS KCRM KDEM
IZ 
SUBJECT: DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT THE ANBAR DETENTION 
FACILITY RAISE CONCERNS 
 
BAGHDAD 00000083  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Anbar (Ramadi) cable. 
 
¶2. (U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT:  During a series of December 
visits to the Hurricane Point Judicial Complex in Ramadi, 
PRTOffs discovered unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the 
recently occupied detention facility.  The principal cause of 
these conditions is the inability of the Iraqi government to 
provide adequate operating and maintenance funding. The 
result is no fuel for the facility's emergency generator and 
a critical loss of water pressure.  The combination of 
inadequate staffing, unlit corridors, lack of water, and 
unsanitary conditions at the Anbar detention facility 
constitutes a potentially serious security concern that must 
be addressed. END SUMMARY. 
 
RAMADI'S HURRICANE POINT JUDICIAL COMPLEX 
========================================= 
 
¶3. (U) On 23 December, PRTOffs conducted a site survey of the 
newly occupied detention facility at the Hurricane Point 
Judicial Complex.  The complex is part of a 21.5 million 
dollar project by U.S. forces, the Embassy, and the 
government of Iraq (GOI) to establish a secure compound for 
the judiciary, courts and detainees awaiting trial in the 
provincial capital of Al Anbar Province. Grave concerns over 
judicial security prompted the building of the complex to 
provide a facility that allowed for the easier coordination 
of judicial resources and detainee access.  Since the 
facility opened in June, cases have started to move more 
quickly and judges are working aggressively to alleviate a 
significant backlog of cases. 
 
LACK OF LIGHTING 
================ 
 
¶4. (U) Approximately six to eight weeks ago, 243 detainees, 
including sixteen Iraqi Police, a female detainee and a 
juvenile were transferred to the new detention facility from 
the former transfer jail at the Provincial Government Center 
(PGC).  The much-heralded transfer immediately resulted in 
difficulties at the new facility.  The transfer forced to the 
forefront the failure of the GOI to provide funds for fuel to 
run the facility's generator.  The lack of funding for fuel 
oil to run the generator has left the facility with no 
electricity to run the water pumps and lights when the 
electrical grid is down.  The local grid provides only about 
two hours of electricity per day.  When grid power is lost, 
the lighting switches over to emergency lighting. The 
emergency lighting runs off a back-up power supply that 
charges during the two hours of grid power and provides 
approximately forty-five minutes to one hour of power to the 
emergency lighting.  Once this is exhausted the facility is 
plummeted into darkness, creating a serious security concern. 
 
LACK OF WATER 
============= 
 
¶5. (U) The lack of electricity for water pumps has created 
sanitation and humanitarian concerns.  When the PRT visited 
the facility, detainees had gone without water for three 
days.  During a walk-through of the cell block, the inmates 
accosted PRTOffs with complaints about the lack of water. 
They had been provided with bottled water that they alleged 
had to be purchased from the facility's staff.  When the PRT 
inquired with the staff, they stated that a water pump had 
broken and they had no water supply to the facility.  Without 
water, detainees were also unable to flush the sewerage 
system.  Staff explained that, in an attempt to solve the 
problem, two water tanks were placed on the roof of the 
detention facility.  These tanks operate a gravity-fed system 
that has been cut into the existing water lines to augment 
Qthat has been cut into the existing water lines to augment 
the system. The gravity-fed system lacks adequate static 
pressure to maintain sufficient water flow.  Once the warm 
weather returns, conditions in the facility are expected to 
significantly worsen. 
 
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION 
====================== 
 
¶6. (U) During the PRT's visit, there was limited leadership 
present at the detention facility.  PRTOffs were informed 
that the commanding officer had just departed.  This lack of 
oversight is troubling.  When PRTOffs toured the facility, 
they noticed a young male, possibly less than 12 years of age 
amongst the adult male population.  The staff insisted the 
juvenile had his own cell.  The Provincial Chief Judge, who 
lives on the complex in judicial staff housing, opined that 
the security situation at night is a source of concern and 
reflects insufficient staffing. 
 
¶7. (U) There is disagreement as to who is actually 
 
BAGHDAD 00000083  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
responsible for running the facility, and therefore who is 
responsible for the current conditions.  The Provincial Court 
Judge insisted to PRTOffs that the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) 
was legally in charge of the detention facility.  However, 
the Ministry of Justice told EmbOffs it had nothing to do 
with the facility, and it was the responsibility of the MOI 
to operate on behalf of the Higher Judicial Court (HJC). 
(NOTE: Generally, detention facilities such as this fall 
under the purview of the HJC and are run by the Ministry of 
Interior. END NOTE) 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: The detention facility has a population of 
approximately 260 detainees in both pre-trial and post-trial 
detention.  Some of these post-trial detainees have received 
death sentences and are awaiting transfer for execution.  The 
combination of inadequate staffing, unlit corridors, lack of 
water, and unsanitary conditions creates a potential powder 
keg.  In addition to the need for additional staffing, the 
facility needs to be supplied with adequate fuel for their 
generators or be connected to the city's 24-hour emergency 
power grid, which would maintain the water supply and 
lighting all hours of the day. The most immediate problem, 
perhaps, is to clarify which government entity (apparently 
the Interior Ministry) has responsibility for maintaining the 
facility, and get them to run it properly. END COMMENT. 
HILL