Iraqi Falcons Intelligence Cell

The Iraqi Falcons or Iraqi Falcons Intelligence Cell (Arabic: Al-Suquor) is a counter-terrorism unit with 5,000 law-enforcement officers, intelligence officers, and others in specialized intelligence capacities. It conducts undercover operations in Iraq to fight hostile groups such as ISIS.[1][2] They are most known for operations involving Captain Harith al-Sudani, in which Falcons foiled around 30 car-bomb attacks on Baghdad.[3][4][5] The Falcons were praised by US services for infiltrating ISIS cells, killing or arresting leaders and members, preventing attacks and destroying weapons.[2] 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] Officials stated that the Falcons are responsible for foiling hundreds of attacks on Baghdad.[4]

History

In 2006, Abu Ali al-Basri, the intelligence director of Iraq, created a special unit with the mission of eliminating leaders of hostile groups. The unit was named "Al-Suquor", or "The Falcons."[4]

Anti car-bomb operations

The Falcons counter-terrorism operations typically involved Captain Harith al-Sudani infiltrating ISIS, driving ISIS's car bombs to Baghdad, 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][2] 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"[2] while operating within the Falcons unit.[2]

Notable people
  • Abu Ali al-Basri, the director of the Falcons
  • Commanding Officer, Gen. Saad al-Falih
  • Harith al-Sudani (?–August 2017),

See also

References
  1. "The ISIS Spy Who Saved Baghdad from 30 Terrorist Bombings". Homeland Security Today. March 25, 2019.
  2. Coker, Margaret (August 14, 2018). "Iraqi Leader Offers to Help Family of Spy Who Infiltrated ISIS" – via NYTimes.com.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2010-11-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. Coker, Margaret (August 12, 2018). "The Iraqi Spy Who Infiltrated ISIS" – via NYTimes.com.
  5. "La spia che si è infiltrata nell'ISIS". Il Post. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
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