(Both clips have the
same audio, but some video changes are made for the
second one.)
Click photo to play
Length: 5:05
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN
ANCHOR: First, though, a CNN exclusive: a rude
awakening for Americans who fought and died to
establish democracy in Iraq. It turns out that, when
some Iraqis went to the polls, whether they knew it
or not, they elected a terrorist to parliament, a man
with the blood of Americans on his hands.
CNN's Michael Ware broke the story, joins us now with
the exclusive from Baghdad -- Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anderson.
After an extensive four-month investigation, CNN has
learned that this man, Jamal Jafar Mohammed, an
elected member of Iraq's parliament representing
southern Babil Province, was involved in the 1993 car
bombings of the American and French embassies.
Indeed, according to U.S. military intelligence, he
was one of the masterminds of the attack. According
to court reports from the time, he was sentenced to
death in absentia. He escaped punishment, having fled
the country.
But according to Western intelligence, he was also
involved in the hijacking of a Kuwaiti airliner in a
bid to free others involved in the embassy bombings,
and is linked to the attempted assassination of a
Kuwaiti prince.
His presence in the Iraqi parliament is now a source
of rising tension between Baghdad and Washington. One
reason: in parliament, he is immune from prosecution.
COOPER: Michael, this is obviously a potentially
embarrassing situation for both the Iraqi and the
American governments. What have been their reactions
so far?
WARE: Well, a U.S. Embassy spokesman says, American
officials are actively pursuing Jamal Jafar
Mohammed's case with their Iraqi counterparts. U.S.
military intelligence on the ground here in Iraq has
approached the Iraqi government, claiming Jamal is
actively supporting Shia insurgents now and that he
is a key agent for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard
Corps, Quds Force, one of Tehran's special forces
element, and assists their operations as a conduit
for weapons and political influence.
Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, wants
American intelligence now to share its information
with Iraq's parliament, which could lift Jamal Jafar
Mohammed's immunity from prosecution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARE: Sitting in the Iraqi parliament right now is a
man accused and convicted in Kuwait of blowing up an
American Embassy. U.S. intelligence claims he still
has ongoing links to Iranian intelligence and covert
networks.
What does this say to the world?
NOURI AL-MALIKI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through
translator): We don't want parliament to be a shelter
for outlaws or wanted people. This is the
government's view. But the parliament is responsible.
I don't think parliament will accept having people
like him or others.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: So, if his immunity from prosecution is
lifted, can, then, the United States or Iraq go to
parliament and arrest him?
WARE: Well, that will be very difficult, even if that
happens, Anderson.
I mean, his current whereabouts are unknown. Indeed,
senior Iraqis in the intelligence and security
apparatus that we spoke to about this man fell silent
at the mere mention of his name.
Now, for months we attempted to contact him through
parliament, through the prime minister's office,
through his former political party, through the
ruling Shia political alliance, of which he is
currently a member, and through the paramilitary
organization which he headed until shortly before the
war.
But all of these attempts proved futile. There are
rumors that he is already back in Iran -- Anderson.
COOPER: So, do you think the people who voted for him
realized who he seems to be?
WARE: Well, certainly, when the United States
sponsored the December 15, 2005 elections, and Iraqis
voted for him for the -- and, for the first time, for
a full and sovereign government, it's unlikely that
many of those people knew precisely who he was, other
than a political figure put up by this Iraqi Shia
political alliance.
However, his true identity and background was no
secret to many within this Shia political alliance.
Indeed, he's the former commander of the
Iranian-backed Badr Organization, one of the foremost
paramilitary outfits in this country.
Now, Prime Minister al-Maliki told me that this is an
embarrassing problem, not only to his government, but
to an American administration holding up the Iraqi
parliament as a democratic model for the entire
region.
COOPER: Fascinating story.
Michael Ware, thanks for the reporting.
Click photo to play
Length: 5:16
ANDERSON COOPER: At least
11 acts of mayhem today in Baghdad; 35 Iraqis killed,
25 of them dumped throughout the capital, their
bodies found. Sectarian shootouts, mortar attacks,
several car bombings and a political assassination.
Yet, even with headlines like that each and every
day, our next report stands out. It concerns one of
those unintended side effects of democracy.
In this case, Iraqi voters electing a convicted
killer, a man with American blood on his hands,
elected to parliament. It is a CNN exclusive.
Michael Ware broke the story. We spoke earlier
tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After an extensive
four-month investigation, CNN has learned that this
man, Jamal Jafar Mohammed, an elected member of
Iraq's parliament representing southern Babel
Province, was involved in the 1983 car bombings of
the American and French embassies.
Indeed, according to U.S. military intelligence, he
was one of the masterminds of the attack. According
to court reports from the time, he was sentenced to
death in absentia. He escaped punishment, having fled
the country. But according to Western intelligence,
he was also involved in the hijacking of a Kuwaiti
airliner in a bid to free others involved in the
embassy bombings and is linked to the attempted
assassination of a Kuwaiti prince.
His presence in the Iraqi parliament is now a source
of rising tension between Baghdad and Washington. One
reason: in parliament, he is immune from prosecution.
COOPER: Michael, this is obviously a potentially
embarrassing situation for both the Iraqi and
American governments. What have been their reactions
so far?
WARE: Well, a U.S. embassy spokesman says American
officials are actively pursuing Jamal Jafar
Mohammed's case with their Iraqi counterparts.
U.S. military intelligence on the ground here in Iraq
has approached the Iraqi government, claiming Jamal
is actively supporting Shia insurgents now. And that
he is a key agent for Iran's elite Revolutionary
Guard corps, Quds Force, one of Tehran's special
forces element, and assists their operations as a
conduit for weapons and political influence.
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants American
intelligence now to share its information with Iraq's
parliament, which could lift Jamal Jafar Mohammed's
immunity from prosecution.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
WARE: Sitting in the Iraqi parliament right now is a
man accused and convicted in Kuwait of blowing up an
American embassy.
U.S. intelligence claims he still has ongoing links
to Iranian intelligence and covert networks. What
does this say to the world?
NOURI AL-MALIKI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through
translator): We don't want parliament to be a shelter
for outlaws or wanted people. This is the
government's view. But the parliament is responsible.
I don't think parliament will accept having people
like him or others.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COOPER: So if his immunity from prosecution is
lifted, can then the United States or Iraq go to
parliament and arrest him?
WARE: Well, that will be very difficult, even if that
happens, Anderson. I mean, his current whereabouts
are unknown. Indeed, senior Iraqis in the
intelligence and security apparatus that we spoke to
about this man fell silent at the mere mention of his
name.
Now, for months we attempted to contact him through
parliament, through the prime minister's office,
through his former political party, through the
ruling Shia political alliance, of which he is
currently a member, and through the paramilitary
organization which he headed until shortly before the
war.
But all of these attempts proved futile. There are
rumors that he is already back in Iran -- Anderson.
COOPER: So, do you think the people who voted for him
realized who he seems to be?
WARE: Well, certainly when the United States
sponsored the December 15, 2005 elections and Iraqis
voted for him for the -- and for the first time for a
full and sovereign government, it's unlikely that
many of those people knew precisely who he was, other
than a political figure put up by this Iraqi Shia
political alliance.
However, his true identity and background was no
secret to many within this Shia political alliance.
Indeed, he's the former commander of the
Iranian-backed Badr organization, one of the foremost
paramilitary outfits in this country.
Now, Prime Minister al-Maliki told me that this is an
embarrassing problem, not only to his government, but
to an American administration holding up the Iraqi
parliament as a democratic model for the entire
region.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, that was Michael Ware reporting from Baghdad.
Embarrassing indeed.