9.6 |
27 June 2007 to April 2008
745.
Mr Prentice
reported that the “3+1” group had a “positive and productive
meeting”
on 14
January, and formally agreed to rename themselves the Executive
Council.353
In his view
the atmosphere had clearly been different. Mr Prentice also
reported that
“re‑energising
the 3+1 has coincided with the first step forward on key
legislation we
have seen
for some time”.
746.
On 14 January,
in response to a Parliamentary Question from Lady
Hermon,
Mr Browne
said that the number of established military posts in Iraq had
reduced by 100
in October
2007 and 600 in November.354
Mr Browne
added that by the end of January
he aimed to
have reduced the number of posts by a further 350, and that work
continued
to plan for
future reductions to around 2,500 in southern Iraq from spring
2008.
747.
Maj Gen Binns’
weekly report of 17 January recorded that the Iraqi Department
of
Border
Enforcement had arrested eight individuals on the al-Faw Peninsula,
in “an area
notorious
for smuggling”, on 11 January.355
748.
Initial
investigation revealed that four of the men were Iranian consular
officials
from Basra,
and the other four were Iraqis working as their personal
security.
Maj Gen
Binns commented that it was possible that the individuals were
engaged
in
smuggling lethal aid356
or in the
reconnaissance of potential routes for doing so.
The four Iranians
were released two days later.
749.
The day after
the Iranians were arrested, the ISF in Nasiriyah detained
a
mainstream
JAM figure who was believed to be the sponsor or leader of a
splinter group
operating
in contravention of the freeze on activity.
750.
On 18 January,
a CIG considered foreign fighters entering Iraq via
Syria.357
The CIG
assessed that the majority of foreign fighters joined AQ-I to
become suicide
bombers.
The main route for entry into Iraq was through Syria, using
well-established
extremist
facilitation networks and professional smugglers.
751.
The CIG judged
that, although foreign fighters would undoubtedly find
alternative
routes into
Iraq, tougher action by the Syrians against facilitation networks
would
restrict –
at least temporarily – the supply of foreign suicide bombers and
funds and help
maintain
pressure on AQ-I.
752.
On 18 and 19
January, there was unrest in Basra and Nasiriyah during the
Shia
353
eGram
1592/08 Baghdad to FCO London, 16 January 2008, ‘Iraq: Rice Visit
and a New Political Mood
in
Baghdad’.
354
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 14
January 2008, column 884W.
355
Minute
Binns to CJO, 17 January 2008, ‘GOC MND(SE) Weekly Letter – 17
January 2008’.
356
There is no
simple definition of “lethal aid”. It is generally used to mean
military equipment which can
be used
directly to inflict serious injury or death.
357
CIG
Assessment, 18 January 2008, ‘Iraq: Foreign Fighters Entering via
Syria’.
358
Minute
Binns to CJO, 24 January 2008, ‘GOC MND(SE) Weekly Letter – 24
January 2008’;
Minute Rollo
to CDS, 20 January 2008, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (284) 20 Jan
08’.
319