Minute jack to ps fco iraq civilian staffing and security

, HR Directorate -4/€ , IOU , IOU 28 MAY 2004 To: PS IRAQ: CIVILIAN STAFFING AND SECURITY 1. We have been reviewing with SSU our security arrangements once more in the light of Monday's attack in Baghdad which killed two British civilians and wounded another. A joint FBI/British police investigation into the attack is underway. The indications are that an explosive device was attached magnetically to the bottom of the vehicle 2. assessments from post conclude that we should be prepared for an increase in attacks over the next two or three months intended to disrupt the handover and the new Iraqi Interim Government. The attackers are being bolder with more incidents in daylight. 3. At present we have around 180 civilian staff throughout Iraq, 115 of which are in Baghdad. These include staff from a range of Government departments - UKTI, HMT, Home Office, DoH, DfES, NIO, Northern Ireland Civil Service - as well as staff from DFID and MOD. OGD staff, except for those from DFID and MOD, fall under our duty of care. We remain in close touch with these departments and all their staff receive the same security briefing and training as ours do. Their home departments could withdraw their staff at any time if they so decided, though none has yet taken this step. DFID currently has about 22 staff in Baghdad and 57 in Basra and is giving serious Page 1 DECLASSIFIED 288 5. There are, however, three options for further minimising the risk to staff: i) We could bring forward departure dates for those staff scheduled to leave in June, as DFID are planning. ii) We could delay the deployment of new staff going out to fill jobs at the Embassy iti) We could reduce our presence in Baghdad. In conjunction with David Richmond and Christopher Segar, we are already bringing forward a few departure dates where this does not greatly affect our work in Iraq. We have delayed one deployment considered non essential under option two. We have not yet moved to option three, beyond bringing home four forensic scientists whose work required them to work in isolated locations and would have put them at risk 6. We are, though, working on contingency planning should the situation continue to worsen. We have to be ready to conclude that the nature and extent of attacks have reached a point where we are no longer able to fulfil our duty of care. The security of our staff must remain paramount and we can not ask people - even volunteers - to take risks that could lead to further casualties. In particular, we envisage three possible scenarios which could trigger a withdrawal of staff: a) An increase in violence and targeting of our staff outside the Green Zone which made it impossible for staff safely to operate outside the Green Zone. At this point we would consider withdrawing those staff whose jobs depend on being able to get out into the city. b) A further deterioration in security on the airport road. Though dangerous at present it is passable with care. If we reached a stage where getting into and out of the country became too hazardous we would consider withdrawing all but the most essential staff. Page 2 RESTRICTED DECLASSIFIED Dasta and the governorates. Whilst Basra has seen an increase in incidents over the last month the situation is nevertheless more stable than Baghdad. Patrick Nixon does not think we need to consider reducing staff, although DFID may accelerate the return of some of their staff. Stuart Jack Head, Iraq Operations Unit Tel: Page 3 DECLASSIFIED