The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
653.
British
military spokesman Major David Gell was quoted as
saying:
“We believe
there were about 30 people found imprisoned in the building and
there
was
evidence of torture.”340
654.
UK media
reported a statement issued by Prime Minister Maliki’s Office
calling
for those
behind the “illegal and irresponsible” act to be punished and
reporting that an
investigation
into the incident had been ordered.341
655.
A more
detailed account of the raid, and the Iraqi Government’s response
to it, can
be found in
Section 12.1.
656.
Prime Minister
Maliki told Mr Asquith two days later that he was disappointed
at
the
“reprehensible” way in which the raid had been conducted and the
violation of Iraqi
sovereignty
that it represented.342
He warned
that the consequence of such operations
might be
severe restrictions on the ability to deploy the Iraqi Special
Forces. A joint
investigation
was launched into the incident.
657.
In a video
conference with President Bush on 6 March, Mr Blair said that
Prime
Minister
Maliki was “irritated” with the 3 March raid, but suggested that
irritation was
positive
evidence of taking greater responsibility.343
658.
Mr Blair
said that the UK was “making progress against the JAM” in
Basra,
and
retained “full combat capability” there. He suggested that close
engagement on
reconciliation
remained necessary.
659.
On 7 March,
the Fadhila Party announced that it was withdrawing from the
United
Iraqi
Alliance (UIA) and establishing itself as an independent
bloc.344
660.
Mr Asquith
commented:
“That is
good for Iraq in the medium term in that it introduces flexibility
into the
sectarian
rigidities. But in the short term, it produces a further element of
uncertainty
… There is
no immediate threat to the BSP [Baghdad Security Plan], to
which
political
leaders … remain committed. However … UIA is visibly weakened
…
Fadhila’s
platform (moderate, nationalist, non‑sectarian, separation of
clergy from
active
participation in policies) has wide appeal, particularly to other
disaffected
in the Shia
bloc … I doubt at this stage Allawi will formally join … But he
and
Fadhila
will be going after some of the same constituency … This points to
Allawi
working
more in opposition to Maliki than in support. Maliki, more exposed
to SCIRI
340
The
Guardian, 5 March
2007, Raid at
Iraqi compound finds signs of torture.
341
BBC
News, 5 March
2007, Iraqi PM
condemns ‘illegal’ raid.
342
eGram
9049/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 6 March 2007, ‘Iraq: Meeting with
Prime Minister Maliki,
5
March’.
343
Letter
Fletcher to Hayes, 6 March 2007, ‘Prime Minister’s VTC with
President Bush, 6 March:
Middle
East’.
344
eGram
9559/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 8 March 2007, ‘Iraq: Weekly
Assessment’.
122