Minute cannon to prime minister iraq law and order situation

Matthew Rycroft Clare Sumner IRAQ: LAW AND ORDER SITUATION You asked for a note on the law and order situation in Iraq. The following material is what MoD have available: they are currently seeking further details on other cities in the US-controlled sector (especially Najaf, Nasiriyah, Karbala). Basra • UK forces trying to re-establish police force. Some 2-300 policemen reported for duty on 12 April (less than expected). Joint military/police patrols started on 13 April. Some of the Iraqi police are resented by locals (for former corruption more than brutality). MoD police advisers have been sent to Basra. • UK forces today announced a "zero tolerance" policy for looters. • Situation is one of targeted crime (eg bank robberies) rather than generalised looting. • Signs of locals taking responsibility for own property, and attempts by the public to stop looters. Umm Qasr • No working police structure. Police out of action for around one month and police stations damaged and looted. 25 ex-policemen currently being vetted Joint military/police patrols being set up. DECLASSIFIED Al-Amara • Situation stable and looting has ceased. Local police force disbanded and disappeared one week ago. Ad hoc security arrangements in force: local leaders have placed armed guards on their own property, and have established an effective pass system to control movements in the city and nearby towns. Al Majarr al Kabir (25 km south of Al Amara) • Town of 130,000 residents. Town council has established a "security sub- committee" , running a "security team" of 50 police, with patrols and check points on main routes into town. Baghdad • Situation in areas directly controlled by US military is relatively stable: US expects it to improve over coming week as reinforcements arrive. US military say that, while some looting is still going on, it is exaggerated by the media (who are focussing on districts not yet under US control). Hospitals shown by media as being looted may be largely those reserved for regime cadres. • US military are identifying individuals (eg ex-policemen) to participate in joint patrols with the military (as in Basra). First joint patrols started this morning. • According to Reuters, 2,000 Baghdad police officers (out of 40,0000) reported for duty this morning (some serving, some retired). They are assembling at the Police College. The head of the police department at the Interior Ministry, Major General Zuhair al-Nuami, has urged the police to return to work immediately to conduct patrols, mann checkpoints and keep traffic moving. DECLASSIFIED Alade Crana NICHOLAS CANNON