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August 22, 1979

Order, Minister for State Security, Iraqi Citizens in the GDR

Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic
Ministry for State Security
The Minister

 

Berlin, 22 August 1979

 

Cosmic Top Secret
MfS 0008 Nr. 17/79

 

All Units

Heads

 

 

The MfS received internal information according to which the leadership of the Baath Party of Iraq has supposedly decided to persecute and physically liquidate members of the Communist Party of Iraq who live in foreign countries.

 

According to our information, respective “actions” are planned against Iraqi communists staying in socialist states as well as in Arab countries (People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, Algeria, Lebanon). Employees of Iraqi diplomatic representations, Iraqi students and tourists are said to serve as instigators respectively executors of such actions.

 

With regard to Iraqi citizens (see numerical overview in appendix) working or residing in your area of responsibility

 

I  a m  o r d e r i n g  y o u

 

to undertake preemptive and other political-operative measures in order to guarantee that

 

- Iraqi citizens, who might get in danger because of the decision mentioned above, are being protected

- other Iraqi citizens who might get involved in actions against communists and progressive Iraqi citizens are identified in advance, kept under surveillance, and prevented from undertaking potential actions.

 

Also, special attention is required for Iraqi citizens entering the capital of the GDR from the Federal Republic of Germany, West Berlin, or the [East German] airport of Berlin-Schönefeld. [MfS] units responsible must implement according control and security measures as required.

 

All incidents and related information, which becomes known must be reported to the head of [MfS] Main Department II. Any measures required have to be coordinated with him.

 

Mielke
Colonel General

Minster for State Security Mielke orders the protection of Iraqi citizens in the GDR following reports that the Baath Party "has supposedly decided to persecute and physically liquidate members of the Communist Party of Iraq who live in foreign countries."

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Document Information

Source

BStU, ZA, AGM 421, p. 26. Translated for CWIHP by Bernd Schaefer.

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2015-11-20

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