The Falcons Intelligence Cell of Iraq (FIC) (Arabic: خلية الصقور الاستخبارية) is a military intelligence unit with law-enforcement officers, intelligence officers, and others in specialized intelligence capacities. The Falcons Intelligence Cell has been dubbed "the most dangerous spy network" in Iraq and is trained by the CIA and the MI6, and have carried out hundreds of successful operations against militants, rivaling other Iraqi intelligence services in Iraq in terms of scope and prowess.[1][2][3]
| Falcons Intelligence Cell خلية الصقور الاستخبارية | |
|---|---|
| Common name | Falcons |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 8 February 2006 |
| Employees | Classified |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency | Iraq |
| Operations jurisdiction | Iraq |
| Governing body | Prime Minister’s Office |
| Operational structure | |
| Agency executive |
|
Officials stated that the Falcons are responsible for foiling hundreds of attacks on important cities in Iraq during the War in Iraq (2013-2017)[4]
History
editIn 2006, the intelligence unit was created with the mission of eliminating leaders of hostile groups. The unit was named "Al-Suquor", or "The Falcons."[4] The unit is most known for operations involving Captain Harith al-Sudani, in which Falcons foiled around 30 car-bomb attacks on Baghdad.[5][4][6] The Falcons were praised by U.S. services for infiltrating ISIS cells, killing or arresting leaders and members, preventing attacks and destroying weapons.[3] According to The New York Times, the Iraqi counter-terrorism intelligence unit "May be the most important organization on the front lines of the war on terrorism that almost no one has heard of."[4]
Terrorism infiltration
editThe Falcons counter-terrorism operations typically involved Captain Harith al-Sudani infiltrating ISIS during the War in Iraq 2013-2017, driving ISIS's car bombs to important cities, letting the Falcon bomb disposal team dismantle the bombs and replacing them with pyrotechnic devices, and then dropping the car at the target point. There, Falcons would create a fake car bombing, including Falcons agents posing as victims, and photos and fake security briefs sent to news organizations.[4][3] Captain Al-Sudani would then be picked up by ISIS agents and return with them, continuing his infiltration mission.
Al-Sudani was described as "Iraq’s most successful spy"[3] while operating within the Falcons unit.[3]
Notable people
edit- Harith al-Sudani (1981–August 2017)
References
edit- ^ "ميدل إيست آي: بعد تفجير بغداد.. الكاظمي ينتزع السيطرة على خلية الصقور الاستخبارية للتقوّي على خصومه". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "The ISIS Spy Who Saved Baghdad from 30 Terrorist Bombings". Homeland Security Today. March 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Coker, Margaret (August 14, 2018). "Iraqi Leader Offers to Help Family of Spy Who Infiltrated ISIS". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d e Coker, Margaret (August 12, 2018). "The Iraqi Spy Who Infiltrated ISIS". The New York Times.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "La spia che si è infiltrata nell'ISIS". Il Post. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
- Michael Knights, Baghdad bombing spurs major intelligence and military reshuffle
- Sweeny, Samuel (August 10, 2021). "'The Spymaster of Baghdad' Review: The Fight of the Falcons".