Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Leaked Security Memo Critical of Iraqi Government | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55287606
Caption:

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari gets out of the car as he arrives for a meeting in Ankara, 28 February 2006 (AFP)


Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari  gets out of the car as he arrives for a meeting in Ankara, 28 February 2006 (AFP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari gets out of the car as he arrives for a meeting in Ankara, 28 February 2006 (AFP)

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- A leaked security memo from the Iraqi Ministry for National Security Affairs, headed by Abdul-Karim al-Anzi, and security reports seen by Asharq al Awsat allege that the outgoing government was aware of security violations around the Imam Ali al Hadi shrine in Samarra, two weeks before it was bombed but did not take any action to prevent the attack

According to a security report from the National Security Affairs Ministry addressed to Muwafak al Rubaie, national security advisor, Prime minister Ibrahim al Jaafari’s outgoing government had detect terrorist activity around the Imam Ali al Hadi mausoleum in the historical Iraqi city last year. The report also claimed Iraqi Sunnis were directly involved in the dawn raid on one the holiest Islamic Shia sites, in which the famous golden dome was blown up.

Salman al Jamili, spokesman for the Iraqi Accord Front said, “The fractures in the Shia coalition because of divisions between al Jaafari and the movement [of Muqtada] al Sadr and the Supreme Council [for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq] prompted groups closely linked to government members to bomb the shrine.”

“We knew the coalition was about to act so as to increase the crisis. We were on our guard. However, we did not imagine that matters would come to an attack on the Imam al Hadi mausoleum so that the Sunnis could be accused and individuals encouraged to burn our mosques, kill our imams and burn the Quran. We are aware the bombing was premeditated and organized by certain groups, with planning from a neighbor of Iraq”, he added.

A security source who requested anonymity questioned why the government had not acted to halt terrorists plans if, according to the report, it “had information about the movement of terrorists in Samarra and the activities of the nephew and sister of a known terrorist. Why didn’t it take any procedures to protect the shrine and purposefully left it exposed to attacks?”

Al Rubaie declined to comment on the report and told Asharq al Awsat from his office in Baghdad , “I have no comment on this issue.” Dr. Khodr Abbas Hadi, head of the prime minister’s office, said he had not heard of the report and told Asharq al Awsat, “I have not seen this report and have no information about its contents. I cannot confirm it or deny it.”

Iraq's National Security Adviser Muwafak al Rubaie is surrounded by his security after meeting Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf, February 28, 2006 (REUTERS)

Iraq’s National Security Adviser Muwafak al Rubaie is surrounded by his security after meeting Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf, February 28, 2006 (REUTERS)

Iraqis gather at the scene of car bomb attack in the Al-Hurya district, north of Baghdad, 01 March 2006 (EPA)

Iraqis gather at the scene of car bomb attack in the Al-Hurya district, north of Baghdad, 01 March 2006 (EPA)