VZCZCXRO5004
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3058 3251400
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211400Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5523
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003058
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/I
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: PRT SALAH AD DIN: CHIEF CRIMINAL JUDGE USES
FORENSIC EVIDENCE TO CONVICT MURDERER
1. This is a PRT Salah ad Din cable.
2. (U) Summary: On October 22, 2009, Salah ad Din Chief
Criminal Judge Faisal Ibrahim Ali Al Azawi sentenced a young
man to death for killing his mother in September 2007.
Forensic evidence analyzed by the Baghdad Crime Laboratory
cleared Coalition Forces (CF) from any role in the fatal
shooting, and turned the Iraqi investigation toward other
possible assailants. End Summary.
3. (U) During a recent visit to Salah ad Din Chief Criminal
Judge Faisal, the Judge shared recent trial case summaries
with the PRT Rule of Law Advisor. A forensically significant
case involved a murder conviction from a 2007 incident.
4. (U) On October 22, 2009, twenty-five year old Jassim
Sarhan Thia Alul Al Khazraji was convicted of shooting his
52-year old mother to death in front of another adult son.
The murder occurred on September 22, 2007, but the
investigation stalled when the family lied to protect Jassim
by blaming Coalition Forces (CF) for the shooting.
5. (U) The Baghdad Crime Lab analyzed the fatal bullet and
discovered it had been fired from a non-CF weapon. That
finding corroborated CF statements that no CF operations had
occurred in the area on that day. The Iraqi-led
investigation used this evidence to confront family members,
who then admitted to Jassim,s role in killing his mother.
6. (SBU) Comment: This case demonstrates the growing
capabilities of Iraqi forensic analysis. In this instance,
the power of forensic evidence played a key role in
successfully separating the innocent from the guilty. End
comment.
HILL