Volume 1 - Iraq Watch

The Security UnitThe SSO had a battalion-sized unit responsible forthe security of strategically important roads aroundBaghdad and Tikrit. Hasan Na’amah Hamid Al Alusireplaced Col. ‘Uday Al Habbus as the commander ofthe Security Unit in 2001. The unit consisted of fourcompanies and a command element. The first companywas composed of police patrol cars, the secondcompany were also police vehicles, including recoveryvehicles, for traffic enforcement, the third andfourth companies were foot-patrols mainly recruitedfrom the SRG.The unit’s main focus was the route between theBaghdad International Airport and the RepublicanPalace in Baghdad. Similar service was providedby the unit on other routes, but with less manpowerrequirements. These security operations were, generally,permanent assignments; the Security Unit wasrarely tasked with other assignments.Public Opinion DepartmentThe Public Opinion Department collected informationon all rumors regarding the Regime. This department,headed by Suhayl Muhammad Sultan Al Duriwho simultaneously held the position of Manager ofthe Director’s Office, maintained sources in all majorcities who would report on all facets of public opinionregarding Saddam or the Regime.Collaboration With Other ServicesThe SSO collaborated with every Iraqi security orintelligence service on a limited scale—each servicehad a specific charter but overlapping responsibilitieswere common. Moreover, all of Iraq’s serviceswere monitored for loyalty to the Regime.The SSO had links to every security and intelligenceservice of Iraq for political reasons, but it did notvet the reporting of the various agencies. All of theservices shared similar reporting chains, however.Once a report had been seen by the director of therelevant service, it followed one of two paths: if thereport related to administrative or financial matters, itwent to the Presidential Diwan; if the report relatedto intelligence or security, it went to the PresidentialSecretary.The security and intelligence services relied on eachother for operational missions as well. The SSOwould be informed if an agency had a security breachor suspected disloyalty among its ranks. Alternatively,the SSO tasked the Directorate of General Securityfor background checks and the Iraqi Intelligence Serviceand the General Military Intelligence Directoratefor collection strategies and technologies.Legal DepartmentThe Legal Department, led by Judge Basim ‘Umar AlTikriti, was responsible for all legal cases involvingemployees of the SSO.Research DepartmentThe Research Department, headed by Dr. Mu’ayyidAl Tikriti, conducted a joint computer project with theMilitary Industrial Commission, according to formersenior officers within the SSO command leadership.Allegedly, this section was comprised of four orfive employees in addition to Dr. Mu’ayyid and wasfinanced through the SSO. Neither Walid nor Hani,despite their senior positions within the SSO, knewmuch about the department’s sensitive activities.92