Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq Public Affairs Office, Phoenix Base APO AE 09348

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 081019-03
October 19, 2008
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DSN:  318-852-1332
IRAQNA:  0790-194-0270

233 Iraqi Intel analysts graduate at Taji

TAJI, Iraq – 233 students graduated from the Iraqi Intelligence and Military Security School here Oct. 9.

The ceremony marked the end of a 10-week period of instruction for most of the graduates.  113 graduates were from various Iraqi Army Divisions, with 36 graduates from the divisional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance companies.  92 graduates were from the Directorate General for Intelligence and Security.  The remaining graduates were from other governmental ministries, including the Ministry of the Interior.

213 students attended the Introduction to Intelligence course and then diversified into one of five specialty courses:  Analysis, Counterintelligence, Human Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance, or Signals Intelligence.  The remaining 20 students underwent advanced Human Intelligence training in either Source Operations or Interrogation.  More than 3,000 students have graduated from a multitude of courses since the school’s inception in August 2005.

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Iraqi Brig. Gen. Thafer, the Director of Training for the Directorate General for Intelligence and Security, praised the graduates and instructors stating, “This is the most capable and disciplined class that has graduated from IMSS.”

In remarks to the audience, the three speakers - the IMSS Commandant, the student class leader, and Thafer - continually emphasized the need for the graduates to take their place in the Security Forces not as Shiites, Sunnis, or Kurds, but as Iraqis. 

The leadership at IMSS intends to add 10-15 new specialty courses during 2009 and graduate at least 2,500 students.

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