DETAINEE OPERATIONS OPERATIONAL UPDATE: Media Roundtable: Maj. Gen. Swan; Brig. Gen. Quantock; Maj. Gen. Qadir, May 11, 2009
Multi-National Force-Iraq
Brig. Gen. David Quantock, deputy CG of MNF-I Detainee Operations and CG of Task Force 134; Maj. Gen. Guy Swan, Chief of Staff, MNF-I; and Maj. Gen. Aiden Khaled Qadir, Director of Iraqi Police Security, Iraqi Ministry of Interior, speak with the press.
DETAINEE OPERATIONS OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Brig. Gen. David Quantock, deputy CG of MNF-I Detainee Operations and CG of Task Force 134; Maj. Gen. Guy Swan, Chief of Staff, MNF-I; and Maj. Gen. Aiden Khaled Qadir, Director of Iraqi Police Security, Iraqi Ministry of Interior
DATE: MAY 11, 2009
PARTICIPANTS:
BG DAVID QUANTOCK, MG SWAN, MG AIDEN, AND VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
(PH) = PHONETIC
(INAUD) = INAUDIBLE
INT = INTERPRETER
REPX = REPORTER 1-7
AIDE: We're going to have representatives from the -- not only the American side, but also from the Iraqi side meeting with you today.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Specifically the Chairman of the Joint Subcommittee for Detainee Affairs, Major General Swan from Multinational Forces, and Major General Aiden from the Government of Iraq.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Okay. There are a couple other generals from the Ministry of Interior who came with General Aiden and they may participate. I don't know --
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Right. And obviously Brigadier General Quantock from Task Force 134 will be available as well.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Right. I recognize all of you pretty much. We've done these before; however, this time the focus is on the Government of Iraq representatives that will be participating.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Okay. All of the generals are talking right now, and when you have that many generals together, it takes a little bit of time to get them to where you need them to be, so.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: As soon as I can get them -- As soon as I can get them to stop talking in there, I'll bring them in and then they can talk to you. Okay?
They -- They do have a meeting that they have to attend at 1500, so we're going to have to cut this at about 45 minutes. Usually we do an hour, but because of his schedule we have to cut it to 45 minutes today.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
AIDE: Any questions for me?
(Quiet conversation in Arabic in the room for several minutes.)
BG QUANTOCK: Well, I think the first thing we'll have is General Aiden make some opening remarks.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And we'll follow that up with General Swan.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And I thank you very much for coming here today.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: With that, sir?
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We thank you for coming, and we have come to discuss with you the detainees that are in U.S. custody.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Based on Article 23 of the SOFA, this committee was formed.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And this committee consists of two -- is bilateral, both Americans and Iraqis.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: I represent the Iraqi side, and I am an MY, they're, um, in charge of the police.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: General Swan is in charge of -- or represents the American side.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: This committee also has two subcommittees under it, the Intel and Information Committee.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And it's headed by the MY deputy in charge of information.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And it has representatives from all security agencies.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And the other subcommittee is the Legal Committee.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And it's headed by Judge Tahi (ph).
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And he's the Deputy Chairman of Iraqi High Tribunal.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Our committee meets every two weeks.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And our seventh meeting was just last week.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: During -- From this committee, I mean, we put down the process of how work should be done between us.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: How to transfer detainees.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And how to treat them.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And how our technical team got access to go to Cropper.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: By our combined meetings, we had --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We, we classified our detainees into three categories.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: One category is the one that has no arrest warrants and no information.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Those would be released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: After Iraqi side is notified by the Coalition.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The second category have arrest warrants issued by the judicial agency.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Those would be transferred to the GOI by the Coalition side.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The third categories has intel information, classified information that has some judicial value or legal value.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Those would be segregated and will not be released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Until arrest warrants are issued.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Or nothing negative come against them, then they will be released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: There is a well (sic) understanding between our two sides.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And our goal is to work within international standards.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And principals of human rights.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And the Iraqi constitution and Iraqi law.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: These committees are operated under the supervision of the Judicial Council.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Even a release, there's an agreement between the two sides how a release should be conducted.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We formed committees in every province and we called it the Committee to Oversee and Welcome Back the Detainees.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: To facilitate detainee release.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And make sure that there are no obstacles or anything like that.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The American side cooperated with us and allowed our technical team to enter Cropper.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: This team made it to Cropper and is conducting its business as they are supposed to.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The two sides' goal is to execute what comes out of this committee.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And in a secure and safe manner.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: That will preserve the Iraqi safety and security.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And also the safety and security of Iraqi forces and the American forces.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The Iraqi side would not do anything against the law.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And will treat detainees in accordance with international laws.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And the American side also respects the requests of the Iraqi side.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: There is no -- indifference in how detainees should be released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Both sides have special individuals that represent intel, legal and every aspect that we deal with.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We hope that this file will be closed, or this case would be closed in accordance with the SOFA agreement.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The end of this year or the beginning of 2010.
MG AIDEN: Shukran.
INT: And thank you.
MG SWAN: First of all, let me just make a couple of opening remarks. I'm Major General Guy Swan. I am the Chief of Staff for the Multinational Force in Iraq.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And I also serve as the co-chairman with General Aiden on the Detainee Affairs subcommittee.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And I can say that Dr. Aiden and I have formed a very strong partnership as we review the entire issue of detainee affairs.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: I think it's important to under -- to point out that under the terms of the Security Agreement, on the 1st of January of this year, officially all of the detainees in American custody are officially turned over to the Iraqi government.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: However, the Iraqi government has asked us to continue to hold these detainees as we go through the process that General Aiden described.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And this process was set up to serve three, three major objectives.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: The first one is to facilitate a safe and orderly transfer or release of the detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: The second objective is to limit any threat to the Iraqi people that could be posed by dangerous radicals.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And the third objective is to facilitate the prosecution, under Iraqi law, of dangerous terrorists and criminals.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: This has been a very methodical process and very well thought out.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And because the Iraqi government and the U.S. Government share the same objectives, this has been a very positive partnership.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And as General -- Dr. Aiden mentioned, we've met seven times now, and we have a very thorough process for going through all of the records of these detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And with that, I'd be glad to answer your questions.
REP1: As Salamu 'Alaykum. (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: My name is Mahmoud, and I'm from -- I represent NINA, and my question is this: In the past couple of days we've heard statements that there has been an abuse of female de- -- (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP1: (Briefly speaks in Arabic.)
INT: That there has been abuse of female detainees in GOI custody, especially MOI. I would like you to elaborate on this. Also -- (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP1: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And also my second question is that some detainees, after they were released, you went -- MOI went ahead and detained them again.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: For the first question, it doesn't have anything to do with detainees at MNFI custody.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But I'll answer it.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: MOI agency does not have female detainees.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We do not have a section for detainees at all, for female detainees.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Females are usually turned over to MOI facilities.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But if you have any information about what agency it was, I will be more than happy to take that information from you and I'll conduct my investigation.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As for the second question, that detainees who are released will be detained again.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Has no truth to it at all.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We are not capable to detain somebody who has been released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Unless there is a warrant, an arrest warrant.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But sometimes, yeah, we see on television that might be a parliament member or somebody that come out on TV and says, Yes, this is what's been happening.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: There is no such thing.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But what happens is sometimes a person is released without having an arrest warrant.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Or the arrest warrant may not make it to the American side or the Iraqi side before the release.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: So when he's released, the complainant may see him in the street and come back and say, Well, I had filed a complaint against this person, but I just saw him on the street. How come he's out?
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But in general, nobody can be detained without an arrest warrant against them.
REP1: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Just a clarification, please.
REP1: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP1: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The information about the female detainees came in from the parliament members, and as a matter of fact it was the Deputy Chairman for the Human Rights Committee in the parliament who came out and said, "I, myself spoke to female detainees that were abuse-" -- you know, that there was some abuse against them while -- and what he mentioned is that during detention, when they were being detained by MOI before going anywhere else.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: No such thing can happen because we do have human right organizations that come into detention facilities and inspect and talk to detainees. And they have never came up with anything like that, and there's no such thing.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: There are many detention facilities, and we would love if we can pinpoint where this happened, to whom, at what place, because some of these detention facilities may not be an MOI holding place.
REP2: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Ahmed Jasim (ph) from al-Arabiya Agency.
REP2: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP2: Amerikiye (ph).
INT: Amerikiye. Okay. Also his question was two parts. The first question was that there are -- there are many detainees. It's a large number of detainees whether in MNFI custody or the Iraqi custody. We're not going to go into the numbers, but do the GOI have any program in the works to begin release some of these detain- -- of their detainees.
Also there has been in the media that detainees who have been released from the U.S. custody are the ones who are conducting some of these terrorist acts today. So do you have any proofs of that?
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Maybe for the numbers related (ph), General Quantock to give them the numbers.
BG QUANTOCK: For the numbers of detainees that we have in Coalition custody today, the number is 11,790.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: Since the first of February, we have released around 3,500 detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: According to General Quantock, from what you just heard, that we can say that the number of released has been over 2,000.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: It is possible that some of them may go back to their crime life.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: But by that, you know, we cannot say that all these who are released went back to their criminal life.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And also keep in mind that those who were released at this point were from the low-threat level.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Also that the committee looked at their files, their -- they had knowledge of their release.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: So we decided to decrease the number of detainees to be released.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And look more -- or study it, study their files even more to look for more information and details --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: So the Americans cooperated with us very good and they said anybody that you have any information on, we'll hold them even longer.
MG SWAN: And let -- If I could add to that. General Aiden is correct. We are working closely with the Iraqis to find out additional information that we may not have. The Americans have information on the detainees, and the Government of Iraq and even the provincial governments have information, and our process is bringing all that information together so that we can, we can determine exactly what crimes this person has committed, if he has committed a crime.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: I wanted to make clear for your readers and your listeners that we do not believe that these recent attacks are the work of people who have been released from American custody.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: Between the training and assistance that they get inside of our detention facilities and General Aiden's committees out in the provinces to receive them home, that is reducing the number that go back to being criminals or terrorists.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: But I know that that has been a lot of discussion about these attacks being the work of people who had been in American custody. We do not see that on the large scale, and it -- we believe that's the work of other terrorists.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP3: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Just a comment on what the general just said. Since they're negating that their detainees, the released detainees, have anything to do with the escalation in violence at this point, then why is it that your committee made the decision to decrease the number of released detainees; instead you should be increasing it, to release those innocent who are sitting at Bucca, some of them maybe for over three years at this point.
MG SWAN: Yes. Good -- Very good question. We did -- We slowed that down because the Iraqi government has asked us to do that, to be more thorough with information that may be out in, in Anbar or Ninewah or Diyala --
MG AIDEN: Diyala.
MG SWAN: -- that we do not have right now. And this will give them more time to bring that information forward.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And, and one more point, if I could. We are releasing or transferring to the Iraqi government the least dangerous terrorists first. And we are holding the most dangerous ones till last so we can build a case to go to court on those people. So this has been worked out between the Iraqi government and the U.S. Government.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The decrease in the number of releases was not that great.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Number 2, this process has to finish within a year --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: So we do have up to a year, I mean from now until the end of the year --
MG SWAN: Yes, yes.
INT: -- this case could be closed.
REP4: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP4: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We did not hear much about the middle-threat and high-threat and what's going to happen to them and how you're going to deal with their cases. Are they -- You did not give us any time span on when they will be turned over to the GOI or if that's going to happen, or if they're going turn -- be turned over to, to the legal, you know, the legal process also.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
(The interpreter and reporter speak together in Arabic.)
INT: And also when they're turned over and if they're convicted or what have you, would that time count for them as part of their sentence or not, their detention –
REP4: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And also -- It was a three-part, actually. For those who committed crimes against Coalition Forces, what law will they be -- would be deal with them?
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As far as time, we have a process that we have worked among ourselves. We get a disk that has numbers of names and ISNs.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Let's say these detainees are to be released in the (sic) six months. We do have a time limit, how much time we have to, to answer them.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We get them -- that information of detainees that we have arrest warrants for or information --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: After they get that answer from us, they will deal accordingly with, with those names that they give us.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As for the second part, anybody who commits a crime in Iran will be dealt according -- in accordance with --
MG SWAN: Yes.
INT: In accordance with Iraqi laws.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Whether he is foreigner, whether he's an Arab or whether he's Iraqi.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And this is a general standard throughout the world.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: If I go to the United States and I have a traffic infraction, then they will deal with me according to their law, not the Iraqi law.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And so forth for the rest of the crimes.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As far as the time that they served in detention, in U.S. custody, Geneva Convention has a ruling on that.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We will convict them according to the law and according to the judge and the time period that's given by the judge -- the sentence that's pronounced by the judge.
MG SWAN: The question about if they've committed crimes or killed American soldiers. Under the Security Agreement, they will be turned over to the Iraqi government and they will be tried in Iraqi court.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And as guests in the nation of Iraq, we've agreed to follow the laws of the, of the Iraqi people.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: I mean, let's face it, so far you have not heard of any Iraqi that committed a crime against Coalition Forces or the American forces that was taken to the U.S. --
MG SWAN: Right.
INT: -- and judged in -- according to American law. That did not happen so far.
BG QUANTOCK: I'd just like to talk about the time line that was asked about the medium- and the high-threat detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: As Dr. Aiden and General Swan have said, we are working on the low-threat detainees right now.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: They'll either be released or transferred to the Government of Iraq.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And we should be done with the low-threat by 1 September.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: Meanwhile, we still are looking through the medium-threat detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And then from about 1 September to about 1 December, we will either release or transfer medium-threat detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And then around 1 December, every high-threat detainee will have an appearance in court in front of a judge, an Iraqi judge.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And then an Iraqi judge will decide on what to do with the high-threat, either to release or to -- or to publish an arrest warrant.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: Or detention order.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And we should be done with the process around 1 February of 2010.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: I am from (inaud) and I have many questions.
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We heard that the decrease would be seven -- to 750 from 1500.
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: What is the number of those who returned to detention after they were released from Coalition custody?
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Also Coalition Forces hold 29 of the old regime element; how is the GOI dealing with that, with those cases?
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Also there is 134 TCNs. How are you dealing with that, and what's the solution for --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As far as the reduction, maybe General Quantock can comment on that.
BG QUANTOCK: Well, we said initially we would be releasing 1,200, either releasing or transferring.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And what we have done is released the number -- reduced the releases to about 750.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: However, based on arrest warrants, we plan on turning over 500 detainees per month, transfer them to the Government of Iraq.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: So our goal is still to reduce our population by about a thousand to 1200 per month.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: I would add to that that this is not a race to release people from, from detention.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: Our goal is to do this with, with the safety of the Iraqi people as our priority.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And we, we have a goal of how many to release each month, but we are not tied to that goal if we think that the Iraqi people will be unsafe.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: But at the same time, if there are people being held that should be released, they deserve to be released as soon as possible.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: So this is, this is the balance that we are trying to find.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As for the second question of the number of detainees who were returned to detention, it's really very minor numbers, not even worth mentioning.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As for the TCNs and --
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: I'm not interested in the number --
REP5: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: -- of detainees or TCNs or --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: -- what have you. I am more interested in how your committee will deal with that. (Inaud.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: -- General Quantock to give you the numbers and comment on the -- (inaud)
MG SWAN: The TCNs.
BG QUANTOCK: The number of TCNs, we have 134 TCNs.
MG SWAN: Right.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: Over the next few months we'll be transferring those third-country nationals to the Government of Iraq.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: But in accordance with the Security Agreement, in order to do that transfer, we have to get arrest warrants first.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: So we work very closely with General Aiden and the committee to, to look through those files and get the arrest warrants.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As far as the TCNs and as far as the GOI is concerned, when we get them, they're still -- what we have to -- (inaud) them with, they're, um, stay here, do they have proper papers to stay here. So that's very important to us. Even if they had not committed a crime, we need to see how they got there.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP6: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: It's almost the same question of the former regime element that he asked.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
REP6: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: Huh?
REP6: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: My information is correct; there are 29 old regime element. And also there are 200 detainees, I think she mentioned they were in Tajii --
MG AIDEN: Tajii.
INT: -- at this point. And they are accused or suspected of chemical weapons and --
REP6: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: What would happen to them?
REP6: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Do the Iraqi side right now want them stay in American custody, or how are you dealing with that case?
BG QUANTOCK: Well, I mean, we work very closely with the Government of Iraq for the former regime element members.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: The issue right now with the 29 former regime elements is capacity in the Iraqi system.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: They require a special custody location.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And right now the Iraqis do not have that capacity and so we are holding them until that capacity is there.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: As far as Taji is concerned, Taji is right now holding our medium-threat detainees.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: And we have about 1400 up there.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
BG QUANTOCK: There is no -- We are not holding any special detainees up there that are responsible for any chemical weapons.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: At the end of the process, the bottom line is there will be no detainee left in -- no Iraqi detainee left in U.S. custody --
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: -- or TCNs or foreigner or any -- anybody.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: That's in accordance with the Security Agreement.
BG QUANTOCK: Right.
INT: Each and every one should be returned.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Last question? Okay.
REP7: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: He's from the Emirate Halij (ph) Paper.
REP7: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The American side, did they give you any information about the detainees that were transferred to MOI, such as DNA, such as fingerprints or the other information that you have on them? Because we've noticed that in the past there were detainees that were released at some point before the 1st of January that the GOI had arrest warrants issued against them.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: There was an exchange of information between the two sides.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We have the technical team that's operating in Cropper and is all Iraqis.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: The American side gave us the cases of these individuals.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: Their fingerprints.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And we are working very hard and vetting them very hard to make sure that this is the same person, that he did not change his name or his ID or anything.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: We hope that we can even do more extensive vetting so we can get better results.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: As a matter of fact, the technical team lives in Cropper.
MG AIDEN: (Speaks in Arabic.)
INT: And there is a great cooperation between them and the Americans at Cropper.
MG SWAN: If I could close with one comment. I just want to emphasize the partnership that Dr. Aiden and I have had in this. And it is an example of the partnership we have throughout the entire Security Agreement between our two nations.
INT: (Speaks in Arabic.)
MG SWAN: And we thank you for coming today.
(END)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
