SENIOR EXECUTIVE INTELLIGENCE BRIEF

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629402
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: December 11, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-02334
• Publication Date: January 15, 2003

Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629402
'LsSEIZT
SENIOR EXECUTIVE INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
15 January 2003
PASS SEIB 03-012CHX
Iraq: Saddam Again Turns to Human Shields
Saddam is resorting to his old tactic of using human shields to try to protect his regime during
an attack. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz last week invited foreign volunteers to come
to Iraq as "civil defenders" at food depots, oil refineries, and water and power stations in the
event of a US-led assault, and claim that at least 100 Jordanians and many
Europeans and US citizens plan to go to Iraq this month for that purpose.
Saddam has used the human shields tactic during various crises with the UN and the West
over the past 12 years. In late 1990, Baghdad moved more than 800 captured coalition nationals
in Iraq and Kuwait, including at least 104 US citizens to strategic sites The action failed to deter
coalition action and earned Iraq broad condemnation
Baghdad's current appeals for volunteer shields sa far have stirred less international
controversy. Tariq Aziz, in the invitation last week, indicated that the foreign volunteers would
not be used at factories, industrial complexes, and public buildings that the US might target.
-- Other lower-cost variations of this tactic that the Iraqi regime could initiate include
pressing Iraqi citizens to "volunteer" as shields at strategic sites; during a confrontation
with the UN in 1997, Saddam used promises of extra food rations and coercion to
prompt hundreds of Iraqi families to protect some 80 palaces and other sensitive sites,
Saddam is likely to revert to a more aggressive use of human shields when he assesses that
other efforts to forestall or complicate US action are failing. He may again prevent foreigners,
including diplomats and UN personnel, from leaving Iraq and force them to strategic locations.
TO C R ET/
Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629402
Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629402
TSC 0
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
Because Saddam most likely believes his removal from power is the US goal, he may be less
reluctant than in the past to put foreign civilians and coalition POWs in certain-death
situations.
-- During the Gulf war, Saddam freed all foreign hostages before the start of hostilities and
did not follow through on threats to hold coalition POWs at strategic sites.
-- Former Gen. Wafiq al-Samarra'i, who fled Iraq in late 1994, told British journalists that
Saddam in 1991 had even more elaborate plans to use the POWs. Samarra'i said Saddam
ordered Iraqi commanders to capture some 5,000 British and US soldiers and tie them to
the front of Iraqi tanks
Approved for Release: 2017/11/28 C06629402