Cablegate: 1987 Annual Terrorism Report: Iraq

O 291059Z MAR 88
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6706

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 01731

S/CT FOR WHARTON

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL IZ
SUBJECT: 1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: IRAQ

REF: STATE 88525 REPEATING STATE 42378 NOT SENT
TO BAGHDAD

1. IRAQ.

2. IRAQ STRONGLY DENIES ANY RELATIONSHIP TO TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS. THE AVOWED TERRORIST ABU NIDAL WAS
EXPELLED FROM THE COUNTRY IN 1983 AND SINCE THAT TIME
IRAQ HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ESTABLISH A NEW
INTERNATIONAL IMAGE AS A STATE ABHORRING TERRORISM.
THIS EFFORT HAS FITTED A GENERAL PATTERN OF TRYING
TO ENGENDER INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AS THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR
HAS DRAGGED ON, NOW INTO ITS EIGHTH YEAR.

3. IRAQ HAS ALSO GONE TO GREAT EFFORTS TO DEVELOP ITS
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLO, WHICH LIKE ALL ARAB STATES
IT DOES NOT VIEW AS BEING A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
PLO CHAIRMAN ARAFAT FREQUENTLY COMES TO BAGHDAD, AND
THE PLO MAINTAINS OFFICES IN BAGHDAD. IN MARCH, IRAQ
PROUDLY ANNOUNCED DONATING THREE MILLION DOLLARS TO
THE PLO, DESPITE IRAQ'S OWN MOUNTING INDEBTEDNESS DUE
TO THE WAR.

4. CERTAIN PALESTINIAN GROUPS WHICH HAVE COMMITTED
TERRORIST ACTIONS, SUCH AS THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION
FRONT HEADED BY ABU AL-'ABBAS AND THE MAY 15 ORGANIZA-
TION, ARE KNOWN TO HAVE RECEIVED SANCTUARY AND
ASSISTANCE FROM IRAQ SINCE 1983. CERTAIN OF THESE
GROUPS MAY HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE SUCH ASSISTANCE
OR SANCTUARY IN 1987.

NEWTON

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