Hezbollah commander could be transferred in days

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Hezbollah commander held in Baghdad by the

U.S. military and considered a threat to American troops could be

transferred soon to Iraqi authorities, and U.S. security officials

worry he could escape or even be freed.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Ali Mussa Daqduq worked with Iranian agents to train Shiite

militias who targeted American soldiers in Iraq, according to the

U.S. military. He was captured in 2007.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The U.S. planned to try Daqduq in an American court, but that

stalled as the White House and Congress clashed over how to

prosecute suspected terrorists.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Iraqi Justice Ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi said Wednesday

that Daqduq will be transferred to Iraqi custody at week’s end.

U.S. officials said the handover probably wouldn’t happen this

week.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Daqduq is one of about 10 remaining U.S. prisoners who, under a

2008 agreement between Washington and Baghdad, must be transferred

by the end of 2011. U.S. officials acknowledged that his transfer

is required.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Iraq’s shoddy record on detainee security and its recent efforts to

improve diplomatic ties with Iran have made U.S. authorities

skittish about turning over Daqduq.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Just a week after the U.S. turned its prison at Camp Cropper over

to Iraqi control in July 2010, four al-Qaida-linked detainees

escaped. An investigation showed that the detainees had inside

help.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The same was true again in May in an aborted escape from one of

Baghdad’s most heavily fortified prisons that left 17 inmates and

guards dead, including a counterterrorism general.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Under President George W. Bush, U.S. officials developed a plan to

interrogate Daqduq for intelligence and then turn him over to the

Justice Department for trial. That plan has been scuttled, however,

by Bush’s own Republican allies in Congress. They objected to

Daqduq and other terrorist suspects being brought to the United

States for trial.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Republicans want Daqduq and other suspected terrorists to be

prosecuted at the Guantanamo Bay military base, which the Obama

administration has tried to close. In a letter in May, Republican

members of the Senate Judiciary Committee told Attorney General

Eric Holder that they were “deeply concerned” that Daqduq might be

prosecuted in the United States.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Lawyers who have reviewed the case concluded that while prosecuting

him at Guantanamo Bay is possible, incarcerating him there is not.

That’s because Congress authorized military action against al-Qaida

and those who carried out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The

Supreme Court has relied on that authorization to allow the

military to hold al-Qaida suspects at Guantanamo Bay.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Hezbollah is a Shiite group and is considered by the U.S. to be a

terrorist organization. Al-Qaida is a Sunni organization. The two

are not affiliated.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

—

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Jakes reported from Baghdad.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“text-decoration: none; color: #000066;” rel=”item-license” name=

redistributed. Learn more about our

“text-decoration: none; color: #000066;” href=

Policy and 

href=”http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/terms”>Terms of Use.