Fawzi Mutlaq al-Rawi

Fawzi Mutlaq al-Rawi (Arabic: فوزي مطلق الراوي‎‎) aka "Fawzi Isma'il al-Husayni al-Rawi," aka "Abu Akram," aka "Abu Firas" is the leader of the Syrian led Ba'athist movement in Iraq.^[1]

Early life

Ahmed was born in 1940 in Rawa City in the governorate of Dulaim, Iraq.^[1]

Iraq War

Rawi was appointed to his position as Chairman of the Iraqi branch of the Syrian led Ba'ath movement by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2003. In 2006 Rawi was number 13 of the Iraqi governments 41 most wanted, accused of funding and leading terrorist operations in Anbar province.^[2]

In late 2007 the US Treasury designated Rawi as providing financial and material support to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The US Treasury Department also accused Rawi of being supported by the Syrian government and having close ties to Syrian intelligence agencies. Rawi was accused of having twice met with a former commander of the Ba'athist militant group Jeish Muhammad in 2004, and having told the commander that the group would receive material support from the Syrian government. In 2005 Rawi helped transfer $300,000 to members of al-Qaeda in Iraq, alongside vehicle borne IED's, rifles, and suicide bombers. Rawi also discussed operational issues with representatives of the al-Qaeda leadership in Iraq, such as attacks against the US Embassy and within the Green Zone.^[3]

In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki in January 2009, David Petraeus, Commander of United States Central Command, listed Rawi as being one of the more dangerous members of the insurgency linked with the former Ba'athist government, although also downplayed the risk posed by such groups when compared to that posed by al-Qaeda in Iraq.^[4]

As of 2010 Rawi was believed to be living in a Syrian government owned apartment in the Mezzeh neighborhood of Damascus, and working out of the Syrian Ba'ath Party Command Building in the al-Halbuni District of the city.^[1][5]

References

1. 1 2 3 Code of Federal Regulations, Title 31, Money and Finance: Treasury, PT. 500-End, Revised as of July 1, 2010. Government Printing Office. 2010. p. 603.  |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
2. ↑ Iraq Releases Most-Wanted List - CBS, 3 July 2006
3. ↑ Tabarani, Gabriel G. (2011). Jihad's New Heartlands: Why the West Has Failed to Contain Islamic Fundamentalism. AuthorHouse. p. 254. ISBN 978-1-4567-7771-5. 
4. ↑ Gen Petraeus' Meeting With Pm Maliki - 09BAGHDAD31
5. ↑ Office of Foreign Assets Control - Specially Designated Nationals List - Entity Details for Fawzi Mutlaq AL-RAWI