Volume 1 - Iraq Watch

The Iraqi IntelligenceServiceIIS Structure and FunctionsThe original mission of theIraqi Intelligence Service(IIS), commonly known asthe Mukhabarat, was foreignintelligence collection, domesticcounterintelligence, andclandestine operations—standardactivities for intelligence Tahir Jalil Habbush.services worldwide—but the former Regime also usedthe service, beginning in late 1997, as a tool for theMilitary Industrial Commission (MIC) and its illicitprocurement efforts. The IIS consisted of over twentycompartmented directorates, under the leadershipof Tahir Jalil Habbush. The IIS also assisted in theobstruction of UN inspection missions and concealmentof sensitive materials, equipment, and documentationfor the former Iraqi Regime.M1, Office of the DirectorM1 was the executive directorate of the IIS. Subordinatebranches provided administrative functions,public relations, the creation of cover documentationfor field agents, and general support to the entireservice. The most recent director of M1 was KhudayrIsma’il Ibrahim Al Mashhadani.M2, Directorate of Administration and AccountingThis directorate managed daily administrative affairsand provided the following services: salaries andretirement services; logistic support, including vehiclesand medical services; and liaison with governmentministries and directorates. M2 also supervisedhouse rentals for each IIS directorate. Every directoratemaintained at least one safehouse for relocatingoperations from regular directorate offices. HusaynMuhsin Hasan, M2’s director, held his position for theeight years prior to OIF.Structure of M4• M4/1 Arab Countries–M4/1/1 Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan–M4/1/2 Egypt and Sudan–M4/1/3 Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria–M4/1/4 Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the Gulf States• M4/2 Iran and Turkey• M4/3 Palestine and Israel• M4/4 United States and Europe–M4/4/5 Scientifi c and Technical IntelligenceDepartment• M4/8 Special Projects–Commercial Section–Accounting Section–Liaison SectionM3, Directorate of Data Processing andInformation SecurityCommonly referred to as the Computer Directorate,and often mistakenly translated as Finance, M3focused on the training and use of information technologyin the IIS. Sa’d ‘Abd-al-Razzaq Al Majid AlTikriti was responsible for the information, documentation,and file storage for the IIS.M4, Directorate of Foreign IntelligenceM4 was the primary directorate for foreign intelligencecollection and foreign operations—it is alsoreferred to as the “Secret Service Directorate,” whenliterally translated. Collection primarily focused onpolitical and economic information; however, informationregarding the military, media, health, and theadministrative capabilities of foreign countries wasalso collected.M4 was headed by Hasan Izbah Thalij Al ‘Ubaydiuntil 2003. As the director, Hasan reported to IISDeputy Director Khalil Ibrahim Al Sultan, who wasresponsible for M4, M5, M40, and monitoring (possiblyM-20) directorates. Previously, Hasan had beenthe M2 Director and the Office Director of M1.A fifth division within M4 targeted Iraqi oppositiongroups operating outside of Iraq. That division,however, was separated from M4 in 1997 and re-designatedM40. The M4 and M5 directorates exchangedinformation whenever members of either directoratediscovered intelligence related to the other directorate’sresponsibilities.74