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Iraq deepens international counter-terror co-operation

By Khalid al-Taie

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi delivers a speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 18th calling for strong international co-operation to combat terrorism. [Photo courtesy of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office]

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi delivers a speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 18th calling for strong international co-operation to combat terrorism. [Photo courtesy of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office]

Counter-terrorism intelligence co-operation between Iraq and other countries has led to the dismantling of several cells linked to the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) and the thwarting of potential attacks, Iraqi officials said.

The collaborative effort between Iraq and the international coalition countries has yielded important results in the field of counter-terrorism, strategic and political affairs researcher Amir al-Saidi told Diyaruna.

"The coalition has worked with us and provided direct military support, which, in turn, helped us defeat the terrorists and reclaim our cities," he said.

Since ISIS's military defeat in Iraq, this co-operation has taken a "new direction, and is now focused on intelligence efforts and information exchange", he said.

Iraqi Minister of Defence Irfan al-Hayali observes the work of intelligence personnel, who have been analysing documents found in ISIS hideouts. [Photo courtesy of the Iraqi Ministry of Defence]

Iraqi Minister of Defence Irfan al-Hayali observes the work of intelligence personnel, who have been analysing documents found in ISIS hideouts. [Photo courtesy of the Iraqi Ministry of Defence]

"Based on precise intelligence from the Iraqi Falcons cell, the international coalition air force has implemented several debilitating attacks against ISIS hideouts, targeting the group’s most senior leaders in Iraq and Syria," he said.

"During operations to liberate the cities, Iraqi forces managed to take hold of scores of important documents relating to ISIS activity and the group's secret cells around the world," he said.

'A threat to all countries'

The confessions of ISIS leaders and elements also have revealed details of plots to target other countries, he said, which the Iraqi government has shared with these countries' intelligence authorities, al-Saidi said.

On August 16th, Iraqi president Fuad Masum told Egypt's Youm7 that "Baghdad and Cairo have succeeded in foiling ISIS terrorist plans to target Egypt", adding that bilateral co-operation had netted several terror cells.

Jordan and Iraq on August 5th signed a border protection, counter-terrorism and intelligence capacity-building agreement, the Jordan Times reported.

This will facilitate the exchange of expertise and information on border protection, improve intelligence capabilities and help to combat all forms of terrorism, among other provisions.

Iraq also has been engaged in intelligence collaboration with Europe, and has played a "pivotal role" in uncovering dangerous terror leaders who were planning on carrying out attacks on the continent, al-Saidi said.

ISIS "does not believe in geopolitical borders and targets all countries without exception", said Issam al-Fayli who teaches political sciences at al-Mustansiriyah University.

It is important to "develop a global system of collaboration by building a large operation room to exchange intelligence and build a joint database that helps with hunting down and capturing terrorists", he told Diyaruna.

Iraq is achieving "progress when it comes to increasing the level of intelligence and security collaboration regionally and on an international level", he said.

"Thanks to the wealth of expertise and information that Iraqis have gained, it has become easier to disrupt ISIS activities in any spot in the world through joint agreements," he added.

Intelligence collaboration

International intelligence collaboration to fight ISIS is "of high importance", Ninawa provincial council member Hassan Shubeib al-Sabawi told Diyaruna.

"This has to be prioritised since terrorism is an international threat," he said.

"A large number of terrorists fled Iraq after their defeat on the battlefield and some returned to their home countries or to other countries," he said.

These fugitives can be considered "ticking time bombs", he added.

"These individuals should not be free and should be hunted down and captured, which can only happen if there is a joint effort to exchange information between countries," al-Sabawi stressed.

To this end, he said, Iraqi officials are intent on creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding with other countries in the region and around the world.

"Whenever we meet with a diplomatic mission, the issue of reinforcing intelligence exchange is always at the top of the agenda," he said.

"Country representatives share that same focus and have expressed their intention to completely eradicate terrorism," he added.

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