Arab Intelligence Organizations Hold Secret Meeting To Confront Shiites In Iraq

The USG Open Source Center translates a report from the Iranian Fars News Agency that summarizes an article in the Iraqi newspaper al-Bayanat al-Jadidah claiming that Sunni Arab intelligence agencies recently met in Amman to discuss ways of undermining the Shiite government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and of replacing al-Qaeda commanders in Iraq with Sunni fighters more acceptable to the locals. Note that in reprinting this piece I am making no assertion that it is true or valid. In particular, I find it completely implausible that the Egyptian government, which despises and fears al-Qaeda and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, would lend any support to the Salafi Jihadis in Iraq (Iraq is not that far away from Egypt). The article does convey attitudes and beliefs that circulate in the Iraqi press. Caveat Emptor.

‘FNA: Arab Intelligence Organizations Hold Secret Meeting To Confront Shiites In Iraq
Fars News Agency
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 . . .
Document Type: OSC Translated Text

Fars News Agency: An Iraqi newspaper has published reports regarding the secret meeting of the intelligence and security institutions of six Arab countries, i.e. Libya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, that had gathered in Jordan to confront the spreading of the Shiite’s power and stop the administration of Nuri Al-Maliki from gaining strength.

According to the Fars News Agency, an informed political source, has told the Iraqi Newspaper, Al-bayenatol-Jadidah: “The intelligence agents of these countries have participated in a meeting headed by the Egyptian Intelligence Organization in the capital of Jordan and they have emphasized on the necessity to topple the administration of Nuri Al-Maliki, which they have called a Shiite administration.”

According to this informed source, the Saudi officials participating in this meeting, have tabled a report which indicated: any progress in Iraq and establishment of a democratic government that belong to the Shiites, would be the harbinger of the termination of the Arab institutions and also failure of the historical agreements of the Arab states with the USA, especially in the military field.

Also, the Representative of Egypt in this meeting . . . delivered a report that stated: the Shiite leaders should be at the first line of political pressures and the Iraqi government should join the six-party treaty.

In the continuation of this meeting . . . Saudi Arabia and UAE accepted to pay for stationing certain forces in the south of Iraq and the city of Mosul.

The Iraqi newspaper has quoted its sources as saying: some Arab organizations are determined to oust the commanders of the paramilitary groups in Iraq that have ties to Al-Qa’ida and they wish to replace them with Al-Qa’ida elements [who] enjoy more popularity.

The Representative of the UAE in the secret meeting of Amman accepted the responsibility of supporting Iraqi opposition radio and TV stations and establishment of more Iraqi networks and newspapers and made it a commitment to continue to do so until the collapse of Maliki’s administration.

This report indicated that the success of the Iraqi administration in getting the Sunnis involved in the war against Al-Qa’ida and other militant groups has reduced the possibility of toppling the administration. . .

(Description of Source: Tehran Fars News Agency in Persian — (Khabargozari-ye Fars) is a privately-owned news agency which began operating in mid-November 2002. On 25 December 2007, Hamid Reza Moqaddamfar replaced Fars News Agency’s (FNA) Managing Director Mehdi Faza`eli. In a gathering of FNA managers, Moqaddamfar said that FNA follows “Principle-ists” policies and its activities are in line with the Islamic Republic and the Vali-ye Faqih.) ‘