Australia's POW policies: the secret Defence files

8/6/2019 Australia's POW policies: the secret Defence files

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l \ ~ j n i s t e r for Defence

AUSTRid .JAN DEFENCE JJE.:.DQUA2_'TERSChief of the Dt.fe.Dct FO;"I_

r / i l r \ r [ J l r J 8 ~

For Action By: 1 Oct 0 4 ~ at your staff s request.DETENTION OF IRAl-,JIANS DmUNG OJ? FALCONER

HECO VL'VIENDATraN1. That you note:

l.i).' f r. ~ ' . _ \1/ \:.:)

8.. the Iranjan intelligence ministry has sought info11natiol1 through DFAT 011 fournationals allegedly anested by Australian troops in 2003;b. the UK investigation report int.o the death ofa detainee in UK custody is complete

and is being reviewed by the UK AttorneyGeneral's departinent;------ -c. Australian Defence Staff - London are seeking a copy of the UK rep01i; andd. CDP's CentTal Comma11d Liaison Officer is seeki.ng to obtain f u r ~ 1 & r details oUbedetained Iranians.

OVERVIEVv2. The Irapjan M"inistry of L-lfcirmatiori Md Security (MOTS) has passed the Australian.Embassy in TebDill a dipJon)atic note seeking information on four l v f u j a b e d i I l ~ e KhalqOrganisation (MEO) members allegediy SlTested by Australiml forces illixaq La 2003. The110te refers to a report received by MOIS alleging Ule four MKO members llJiQ_US$2.6.Qk.hLtheir possession at the time of their '2lTesf and that one of th e members, L _ ~ . _ , y , t ~ E ; ~ _ L . _ " ~ l

snbsequently died during interrogations by the US forces. DFA T Sl'e compiling a response tothe dj.plomatic note.3. MINSUB COP 521104 of8 Jun 04 [Fi2g AJ, advised that the deceased died on the UKaircraft tran8porting the detainees to a US holding facility. The deceased was Dot interrogated3nd \vhile the US doctor gave ~ l O cause of death, be is believed to have died fyom a hea.tt2,ttack. A p o s t ~ m o r t e r n \vas not conducted. There was no evidence of external physicalIDjwles.4. MINSUB CDP 545/04 of 15 JUl1 04lFhg BJ, advised that U1e UK Ministry of Defence(MoD) had not yet UJDciuded their inquiry into the death of a PW captured in the westerndesert of Iraq F.l.nd that further advice would be provided upon con1pletion of th e investigation.Royal Ai r Force (RAP) Police (Investigation Branch) ]18.5 now confirmed that theinvestigation is complete, but the investigation fepmi is c u n e l 1 ~ D . g . . r . e , v j e v / e d bv theirA t t o D 1 e ) ~ e ; r a l ' s depart1Tlent and cannot be released or com.rnented upon lh'1til this review isc . o m p k t ~ . Australiall Defence State London are requesting a copy of the report.5. The diplo:1!a:'lC : J o ~ e , reg'Jested that full personnel de.U:ils oft1105e 'arrested' be p2.ssed toIviOIS. t7S C2ntr21 Co:n':;Ti?_Dd 1':25 a list of2..1165 p e r s o n n e l ~ including the iGur IF..?;l2.DS l -I'/ho-i ; , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ i ? ~ ~ ~ O A ~ ~ j ~ ; ~ ~ ~ ? ~ ~ r 1 ~ ~ ; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O , ; ; ~ : 2 : ~ ~ ~ f ; ~ S ~ ~ ; ~ : ~ ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ : J ~ , ! l ~ i ~ ' Y

, - - - - - - ~ - - ~ j I :7 ... l - " : ~ ) C n 'i;i, ., -, '-S E ~ E 6 ~ ; T ; - : ' A ' G A G ! '


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\{uj 2 J I ( ~ d illborn in Yl-211

7, Il,e previous comment made by tbe UK MoD that there was no evidence to suggest anywrong doing by Australiai1 forces remain_s extantSensith1ty, Yes, This issue tEld related PW issues have received extensive media coverage inthe past. Also, disclosure of this information could be damaging to the UK and USgovemn1ents_AUTHORiSED:

,,/1/::lc,_, : : - ~ E S H A L D E R S ' - ~

VADMNCDF

I Oct 04

NOTED

{ ~ l l r CcRobert EUll

Copies: S E C ~ C]OPS, eN, CA., CA.F, ESQ, DCJOPS, DEPSEC S, DEPSEC I&S, cos ADHQ, FASIP, EDL,DOADFLS, DOPA, DOlL

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3/12

",,00


4/12

b. Ou r ~ L r i v a 1 of the RAP dreznft1 ootidnlX;;'J Mfi tbMt thuroh-a ziptiv.i tovxN En P.'W.ltof thel.l' hod.i0ii by the AU.i:tnUiw SAS, W{)vro to tho b.ooC


5/12

TALKING 'P.ODiT8:G Ausllulian Special Forces did lIot capture any Iraqi soldiers, orFedaye61l, dudng the Wrrr in Iraq, AustTI'lian Spsaiall'oTcY;8 ,c,mployed apolic;y of avoiding contact whh the enemy; however, DCCalllOually ,heywere r e q u e s ~ i r ; t U S Sp6Cial Forces in deteJltion taBkll. .o On the 11 April 2003, a n u m b \ ~ r of AustraIillWl operating in thewestern dfflc-rt helped detain S9 FedaYelfD, foUT non-Iraqis and (hnle BaathParty officie.lB forTOooUl,l. The 66 detainees werG subsequentlytransported to a US detention centre by helicopter.8 Two of (he detainees had nililor alluien(B, a chest cold and 11 sor@foot, wbich a Special FoJ'('-es medic attendell to, All rhe jlmoual mects,including passports, found on the detainees we;:e Hated, accouuted for IUlD(:t'l1!1sp'


6/12

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c,OIJE.)7t.9Il:1,'\.Ji'2, b tf.-!lpons$ ro l' . m ~ S U ) 3 CDF 521/04 you ! ~ A e - : l , 'We p,1wuld find out illG [(:jutt of the lJKl ! ? y ~ t : i . ; i : & . Q ~ ! E ' E ~ Y . , S l ) ~ ~ { 5 . : ! ~ E : ! ~ ( : . . ' l Q ~ f ~ c . e Staff - Lol1c1ort (l.QvisG l:bnt - j h ~ eritinh ItJ.'ll1y'gi : ' S - ~ ~ " ' C : - \ o : - ' : : : : { ' - ) '::\::';' l \ ) (('It ') ( f i i ) 1 s ,t'\%pOtLdblCl [Dr [l.ru;WB..


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11/12

NJ 107?((;',';::.0 O ~ i ['S

IViinLster for Defence

Prep,]"e reply by Minister ~ 2 o ~ : C ) ~ t ate:,. 'Prepare reply by Chief of Staff This Schedule: '7.cr\LRS


12/12

SECRET

(02) 6:277 7800281091200412:18Please respond toDEPT_UASON3

Liess,

" Iranian :'cquust for In1onnatlon

Piease request a rVlIf\lSUB on the request by the Iranian Ministry of information and Security onthe four MKO members allegedly arrested by Australian "forces in Iraq in 2003 {re cable from8aghdad 'IR20016 of 23 Sep 04}.Request brief by 1 Oct 04.Reaards\ ~ : / \ I)\ . : ~ : : . : : , , ~ . ' ::) . ' - ' . "Departmental Liaison OffioerOffice of Minister for Defence026277 7800

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Australia's POW policies: the secret Defence files