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Iraq
Iraq arrests 5 Baath officials for cleric’s murder, oppressing Kurds
2025-02-01
[Rudaw] The Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) on Friday announced the arrests of five people accused of involvement in the liquidation of Shiite holy man Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and oppressing Kurds during the reign of the Baath regime decades ago.

"Through a series of precise intelligence operations, the National Security Agency managed to arrest five of the most notorious criminals from the followers of the former regime who had recorded pages of terror and mass killing," INSS spokesperson Arshad al-Hakim said during a presser.

He said the arrests of the "criminal gang" were "carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Dissolved Ba'ath Party Prohibition Law and with high-level coordination with all relevant authorities and the judicial institution."

One of the suspects, Sadoun Sabri Jamil, was a senior commander under the Baath regime. The accusations against him include the killing of Sadr and his sister "with his personal weapon" and mass executions of members of opposition parties.

Haitham Abdul Aziz Faiq, another of the men arrested, was also a top commander. He is accused of supervising the killings of Sadr and his sister as well as members of the Dawa Party.

Sadr is the father-in-law of the influential Shiite holy man Moqtada Tater al-Sadr
...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He had his hereditary rival al-Khoei assassinated shortly after the holy rival's appearance out of exile in 2003. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, lately he gagged over some of their more outlandish antics, then went back to catspawry when the check cleared...
. He was a popular holy man and critic of the Baathist regime. He was executed in 1980.

The third suspect is Khairallah Hammadi Abd, a former major general. He was allegedly involved in the suppression of Fayli Kurds in Baghdad in 1974 and forcibly displacing regime opponents.

Shaker Yahya is accused of taking part in the executions of Kurdish detainees in Baghdad in 1984 and of preventing people from holding ceremonies to mourn Sadr.

The final suspect was identified as Nimat Mohammed Suhail. His crimes included "leading arrest and torture campaigns targeting more than 40 university students in Sulaimani and other universities, involvement in the arrest of three opponents in Sulaimani," according to the INSS spokesperson.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
i commended the security forces on the operation.

"The National Security Service members, along with the other state security teams, continue to demonstrate their unwavering dedication to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice prevails, leaving no room for impunity," he said in a statement.

"With the recent achievement of justice through the apprehension of key figures from the criminal repressive apparatus of the Saddam-era Ba’athist regime - those responsible for the killing of the martyr Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, may he rest in peace, his sister, and a group of deaders from Sayyed
...Arabic term meaning your/his lordship. Groveling in His Exalted Presence is encouraged...
 al-Hakim family, along with thousands of innocent Iraqis whose lives were lost in the darkness of prisons - we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the relentless pursuit of criminals, no matter how long they evade justice," he added.
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Afghanistan
Saleh Calls for an End to Hizb ut-Tahrir Activity in Afghanistan
2021-03-01
[ToloNews] First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Sunday said Hizbut Tahrir
...an al-Qaeda recruiting organization banned in most countries. It calls for the reestablishment of the Caliphate...
 is not registered with the Ministry of Justice in Afghanistan and it does not have the right to hold gatherings or spread propaganda.

Saleh said in a Facebook post that the Afghan government does not recognize Hizbut Tahrir, therefore any activity by the group is illegal.

He added that some activists from the group have a similar mindset to those in terrorist groups. He warns supporters of Hizbut Tahrir to stop anti-government activity and propaganda.

The move comes after an increase in anti-government slogans by members and supporters of Hizbut Tahrir in the country.

"The party will not have the right to hold gatherings or create propaganda. In other words, this party is not recognized by the government of Afghanistan," said Mohammad Baqir Kazimi, a member of the media office of the first vice president.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wreckage, Captain Poindexter wished he had thought to pack sun block...
 the Justice Ministry said that the mindset of members of Hizbut Tahrir is similar to that of terrorist groups; therefore, they are deemed as a threat to the country.

"They have a tendency toward ISIS, they have a ISIS-like mindset as ISIS also insists on an Islamic caliphate. It is also not far from a Taliban
...Arabic for students...
 mindset," said the deputy minister of justice for social affairs, Zakia Adeli.

Some supporters of Hizbut Tahrir recently urged like-minded Afghans to establish an Islamic caliphate in Afghanistan.

"Hizbut Tahrir is mostly focused on changing the mindset of youth to drive their attention toward murderous Moslem thoughts," Adeli said.

Sources said that Hizbut Tahrir operates in Kapisa, Panjshir, Baghlan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
 and Ghor provinces and is encouraging youth in religious education centers and universities to join the party.

"There are some who have not felt the reality of Islam and have decided immediately and think that killing is everything," said Mustafa Daud, a university lecturer in Baghlan.

"There is a fear that they might have entered the (Kabul) university through different groups to inform their members about what happens in the university as a spy," said Bahija Aman, a student.

"I found out that they are similar to some terrorist groups and that they might seek the collapse of the government; therefore, I decided not to join them," said Mohammad Masih, a student.

Hizbut Tahrir is an international pan-Islamist and fundamentalist political organization that was established in 1953 and its stated aim is the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to unite the Moslem community and implement Shariah.
Related:
Hizbut Tahrir: 2019-11-24 Bangladesh arrests 15 extremist suspects in major sweep
Hizbut Tahrir: 2018-04-22 Islamist group accuses PA of blocking pro-Caliphate rally
Hizbut Tahrir: 2017-09-05 BRICS names Pak terror groups
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Afghanistan
Taliban Warns Govt Against Execution of its Jailed Members
2021-01-24
[ToloNews] The Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
 in a statement on Thursday warned the Afghan government of severe response if any of its members cutting jails are executed. The group said that grinding of the peace processor and execution cant move together.

A Taliban front man has claimed that all those 5,000 Taliban prisoners who were released recently from the Afghan government jails as part of the US-Taliban peace agreement had been sentenced to death by the Afghan courts, warning that any mistreatment of the remaining prisoners will pose serious harms to the grinding of the peace processor.

Meanwhile,
...back at the chili cook-off, Chuck and Manuel's rivalry was entering a new and more dangerous phase...
l officials of Directorate of Prisons have said that over 1,000 prisoners have been sentenced to death by the courts in Afghanistan.

The Directorate of Prisons however refrained to give an exact figure about the political prisoners.

This comes few days after Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh called on the Afghan legal and judicial system to order the death penalties for the arrested Taliban members to help improve the security situations.

But, a Taliban front man has told TOLOnews that all those 5,000 Taliban members recently released by the government were sentenced to death and now there are no Taliban members on death row.

"The Taliban’s killing machine was not stopped despite the release of over 5,000 prisoners from the jails on goodwill gestures, the call for execution of these prisoners is a legitimate call," said Mohammad Baqir Kazimi, member of Saleh’s office.

"The executive body is not supposed to be the decision maker, this is the responsibility of the legal system, they have their own calculations about the crimes committed and about the punishments," said Mirza Mohammad Yarmand, a military analyst.

"We should do something which is in the favor of the people and the country," said MP Parwiz Arabzada.

But the Office of the First Vice President has said that the execution of Taliban-affiliated prisoners who have pleaded guilty is the wish of the families of the victims of the violent mostly peaceful incidents that were caused in the Taliban attacks.

This comes a day after Waheed Omar, President Ghani's senior adviser for public and strategic affairs said that the Afghan government will not release more Taliban prisoners, and said that previous releases has resulted in more violence.

"We are not in favor of releasing more Taliban prisoners," Omar said.

This comes as the Taliban has demanded the release of 7,000 more prisoners, the removal of the group's members from the UN blacklist, and the formation of an Islamic system in order to continue the peace talks, according to peace talks.

The release of over 5,000 Taliban prisoners before was intended to reduce violence as the part of the grinding of the peace processor, Omar said, but "violence has increased because of it."

In the meantime, Republic negotiator Abdul Hafiz Mansoor on Monday said that the negotiating team has decided that the legitimacy of the war must be discussed with the Taliban before any progress can be made.

He said the talks will not have an outcome until this issue is clarified.

On Sunday, the chief negotiators from the Afghan republic and the Taliban met; however, the working groups from both sides failed to meet on Monday to finalize the agenda for the talks.

The US-Taliban deal signed on February 29 last year raised hopes among Afghans for a reduction in violence but the Taliban, in defiance of the international community, continued their attacks against the Afghan government forces.

However,
if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning...
 so far, there has been no major progress between the Republic negotiating team and Taliban.

Over the past few months, Afghanistan has also grappled with a spate of assassinations on civil society members and the journalists.

The Afghan government has blamed the Taliban for the attacks.

But the Taliban has denied involvement.
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Afghanistan
Five Civilians Injured in Samangan Blast
2015-09-21
[Tolo News] At least five civilians were maimed in a blast in northern Samangan province on Sunday morning, local officials said.

The incident took place in Aibak, the capital of the province, after explosives were placed in a cycle of violence. Five people were maimed when the explosives were detonated, provincial police chief Mohammad Baqir said.

"A woman and the finical head of the provincial Independent Election Commission department are among the injured people," he said.

Police have started investigations into the incident and the injured people were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to officials.
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Iraq
Al-Hakim: We Failed with Al Maliki and Support Allawis Participation
2010-04-03
[Asharq al-Aswat] Following a meeting on Wednesday between Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq [SIIC] party leader Ammar al-Hakim and Iraqi Prime Minister and State of Law coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki, al-Hakim reported that the talks to form a coalition between the State of Law coalition and the National Iraqi Alliance, of which the SIIC is a member, have ended in failure.

Al-Hakim stressed that he supports the formation of a "national partnership" government that includes the Iraqiya List that is led by Iyad Allawi that won the largest number of parliamentary seats in the recent Iraqi elections.

Al-Hakim also denounced the description given by a number of senior members from al-Maliki's State of Law coalition of Allawi's Iraqiya bloc as a Baathist coalition.

In addition to this, the Sadrist trend expects millions of Iraqis to take part in a referendum organized by the movement to choose the candidate to head the next government from a list of five Iraqi politicians over the next two days. The Iraqi leaders being deliberated on in the Sadrist referendum are; Iraqiya bloc leaders Iyad Allawi, State of Law coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki, National Iraqi Alliance candidate Ibrahim al-Jaafari, SIIC candidate Adil Abdul-Mahdi, and State of Law candidate Jaafar al-Sadr, who is the son of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr and cousin of Sadrist trend leader Moqtada al-Sadr.
Link


Afghanistan
11 Taliban Militants Killed in Afghan Clash
2010-01-01
[Quqnoos] At least 11 Taliban militants were killed Wednesday in a clash between insurgents and foreign troops in western Afghanistan, an official said

The gun-battle was erupted after the Taliban militants ambushed the Afghan Army, police and NATO-led forces in the Koshk-e Kohna district in Herat Province, said Ikramuddin Yawar, the regional Police Chief.

A local Taliban commander, Mohammad Baqi, was also among the dead, Mr Yawar added. Three other militants were arrested by the joint forces, he further said.

No civilian causalities were reported in the fire fight. However he did not confirm if there was any causality on troops.
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Afghanistan
Afghan clerics want convert sent back
2006-04-03
MAZAR-E-SHARIF (Rantburg News Service): Afghan holy men and their minions have threatened violence against the government unless a Christian convert spirited out of the country is returned so they can indulge their blood lust. About 1000 hysterical rubes gathered in a mosque in the northeastern town of Kunduz on Sunday and demanded that Abdul Rahman, 40, be brought back from Italy and sentenced to slow, lingering death. Sheikh Mohammad Baqir, a holy man and organiser of the rally, said: "This act of the government is illegal," referring to Abdul Rahman's release. "We have a right to see his blood, to see all his blood! To dip our hands in it! To wallow in it! Blood is the very essence of Islam!"

"Either he should be tried or the government should go. We urge other provinces to raise their voices and if the government doesn't listen, we will resort to violence," he said, attracting calls of "Allah akbar" (Holy Shit God is the greatest) from the crowd. "Violence is the other essence of Islam!" Police refused to let the gathering leave the mosque and march through the town, for fear of it going nutz turning violent.
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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Were the Amman bombings a blow to al-Qaeda?
2005-12-01
The Amman bombings on November 9 were widely condemned by the Islamic world, particularly that many victims were civilians celebrating a wedding. This condemnation has again raised questions about support for al-Qaeda among Muslims, especially in a country like Jordan, an ally in the war against terrorism, but which, at the same time, has previously recorded high levels of support for al-Qaeda among its population. The bombings and their ramifications have drawn a number of observations regarding the future of the Salafi-jihadist movement in the region.

The bombing appears to indicate that the mujahideen from Iraq can act freely throughout the Levant. Clearly, the mujahideen constitute a security problem for countries neighboring Iraq, just as the Arab volunteers did, or "Afghan Arabs," returning from Afghanistan in the nineties. Many from the latter were from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait and Jordan, meaning that their return to their countries, or transferring their activities to other recruits, will be accompanied by heightened security problems, especially given that they believe in the ideology of the "near enemy" and the "far enemy."

There has been much speculation about Zarqawi's objectives in carrying out the Amman bombings. The targeting of hotels and tourist attractions is a hallmark of the Salafi-jihadists. Since September 11, 2001, jihadists affiliated with al-Qaeda have targeted tourist attractions throughout the Islamic World, such as Bali, Casablanca, Istanbul, Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh, Aqaba, and even Saudi Arabia, where the attacks targeted foreign residents. Two possible objectives in these target selections are: 1) attempting to show that the governments of those countries cannot protect themselves or tourists in their countries, which in turn undermines their authority; and 2) forcing Westerners to return to their countries or leave the Islamic World, thus setting the stage for a broader confrontation. Another indication is that the targets in the West, whether in Madrid on London, were civilian ones, further demonstrating that jihadists are targeting Westerners while making life difficult for Muslims in the West in order to achieve their ultimate goal of a confrontation between the two sides.

The facts surrounding the Amman bombings shed light on the jihadist movement in Iraq; most importantly, that those in Iraq are third-generation Salafi-jihadists who are unknown to security agencies and have adopted a closed-cell strategy in order to avoid infiltration in their ranks. Despite the limited information she gave, the confessions of Sajida Atrous Rishawi, the Iraqi woman whose explosives belt failed to detonate in the Amman attacks, have given authorities significant information about al-Qaeda in Iraq. Her brother, Thamer Atrous, was Zarqawi's right-hand man and was killed in Fallujah. Moreover, Sajida was captured in Salt while looking for the house of her sister's father-in-law, Nidal Arabiyat, who was described as an explosives expert and was Zarqawi's aide until his death in northern Iraq.

This generation of Salafi-Jihadists appears to be following the pattern of their predecessors in establishing closed circles through marriage and kinship relations. Zarqawi's second wife is the daughter of one of his followers, the Iraqi "Yaseen Jarad" of Palestinian origin, whom reports indicate was the suicide bomber in the attack that targeted Shi'ite cleric Mohammad Baqir Hakim in Najaf in 2003 (al-Hayat, December 14, 2004).

A Pew public opinion poll released in July 2005 noted that there was a regression in the support of violence against civilians in "the defense of Islam" among the majority of Islamic countries included in the survey [1]. In Morocco, support went from 40% in 2004 to 13% in 2005. In Indonesia, it did not exceed 15% in 2005, compared to 27% in 2002. This indicates that the Bali bombings (2002) and Casablanca bombings (2003) resulted in a decline in support in the Muslim world for the use of violence to achieve political goals. Ironically, in Jordan support had increased, as opposed to other countries, from 43% in 2002 to 57% in 2005. Another survey conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies in the University of Jordan in the second half of the year indicated that 70% of the Jordanian public considers al-Qaeda an armed resistance organization and not a terrorist group.

Yet, following the November 9 bombings, a public opinion poll conducted by Ipsos Stat for the Jordan-based al-Ghad Newspaper revealed that 64% of the respondents have adopted a negative view of al-Qaeda, compared with 2.1% who have adopted a positive view. In the answer for the questions: "Do you think al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization," 87.1% answered with "yes," 7.4% with "no," and 4.6% with "I do not know." (See the Jordan-based al-Ghad newspaper, November 16, 2005, front page).

There is evidence that the brutality of terrorist acts in the Muslim world does lead to a decline in support for jihadist movements in general, as was seen in the demonstrations in Morocco protesting the abduction of two Moroccan diplomats at the hands of al-Qaeda. Those who follow Islamist forums on the Internet also noted a regression in support for al-Qaeda following the al-Muhayya, Saudi Arabia bombings in November 2003, where the majority of victims were civilians, as they were in Amman.
Link


Iraq
Shiite cleric's killer held
2003-09-15
Thanks to Sharon for the headzup!
A former Baath Party official arrested in connection with the killing of Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim last month has confessed to planning the operation that killed the senior Shiite cleric.
"I confess! I confess! Just stop hitting me there!"
The Shiite Badr Brigade, SCIRI's militia wing, which is now controlled by Hakim's brother Abdul Aziz, arrested the official, the former head of security for Najaf, after a gunfight in the days after the car bombing. Identified as former Security Director Kareem Ghatheeth, the official had been removed from that position by U.S. military forces on charges of corruption and ties to the Baath regime. Abu Zualfakar al-Hussan, a top Badr Brigade official, told UPI that Ghatheeth had confessed to his role in planning and executing the car bombing outside the Imam Ali mosque. Al-Hussan said the confession proved that the remnants of Saddam's regime killed Hakim, a longtime Saddam opponent. However, the confession could not be verified outside of officials from SCIRI and it is unclear if the suspect has been or will be turned over to U.S. military authorities.
"Parts of him have. We ain't done with the rest. We still need the lips, 'cuz he ain't done confessin' yet."
A local media report also said Ghatheeth had implicated the former director of Najaf's traffic police in assisting in the attack by opening a road, which had been closed for security purposes, near the shrine. Al-Hussan also said he believes al-Qaida network - led by Saudi exile Osama bin Laden - participated in the attack, but acknowledged the link had not been fully established. "I have seen with my own eyes, a Web site devoted by followers of Osama bin Laden that said 'We must kill the big heads of Shiite Islam, Hakim and (another powerful cleric Ali al-Sistani)," he said in an interview in his office located in the vast Shiite slum of Baghdad called Sadr City, formerly Saddam City.
"And we all know there ain't no such thing as an Islamic blowhard..."
"I cannot believe that they were not behind the explosion that martyred Ayatollah Hakim," he said, dismissing a statement by al-Qaida denying any involvement. "They are liars. (We) can see evidence tying them to this crime in the way it was conducted. These people, al-Qaida, are dangerous to all kinds of human beings, Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Jewish." Al-Hussan said this would not change SCIRI's position that Iraq should unite across sectarian and ethnic lines and that it would not be used as an excuse for revenge against Sunnis. But he called on the U.S. military to work to stabilize Iraq with groups such as his instead of relying on Iraqi expatriate groups and members of the former regime's intelligence services. "We are not seeking blood, we are seeking stability," he said. "The coalition forces are dealing with intelligence from the former regime. These guys are misleading the coalition authorities. To catch Baathists and (al-Qaida), they must take advice from the right people. Not those whose hands are wet with blood."
What've you got to offer?
Link


Iraq
Shiite Leader Wants U.S. to Cede Security
2003-09-13
NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2003
BAGHDAD -- The United States should cede some authority over internal security to Iraqi groups, but the powerful Shiite organization, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, will immediately cooperate with U.S. efforts to disarm their military wing, Abdul Aziz, their leader told United Press International.
"We want what we want when we want it!"™ (The warcry of the 3 yr old)
"But, um, okay, we’ll stop waving our guns around."
In the chaos of Iraq’s security problems, Aziz, the new head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, told UPI that he would tell the militia he controls to accede to a call by U.S. military authorities to disarm by Saturday.
Oh goodie, another Abdul Aziz... A Supreme, no less...
And the other militias?
Speaking at his first public appearance as the new leader of SCIRI, he urged the United States to allow Iraqi groups to "take responsibility for the security of the Iraqi people," adding Iraqis should "deal with the full responsibility to protect the interests of Iraq."
Yes, yes indeed, this would be a good thing. But you could take responsibility for yourselves sans a big gold star pinned on your turban.
Both his role as the head of a militia and the killing of his brother Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim by unknown factions two weeks ago framed the statements he made to reporters on security and tensions with the U.S. occupational authority.
Yes it did, Mr UPI uber-reporter... Thanx for that. Uh huh.
The Iran-backed SCIRI’s Badr Brigades have taken a visible role in protecting various Shiite neighborhoods and mosques since the killing. Their presence has alarmed U.S. authorities who wish to avoid a confrontation with the group that has, at least for now, been willing to reluctantly accept the U.S. presence.
Ah, the legendary Badr Brigades. Yes, a colorful past of, uh, um, 2 months. So many titles and groups, so few followers. Will there be enough to go around?
Aziz said the United States had failed to provide security for Iraqis by implementing "the wrong policies. ... The Iraqi people can take responsibility for many security issues, we have a lot of experience in these issues."
Really? Did you collaborate with Saddam? If not, then your last experience is about 40 yrs ago. AA is yet another classic all talk, read my mind, no not that mind, the other one, blame specialist. Good. Just what Iraq needs. Regards what security was present in Najaf, you asked for it demanded the soldiers stay away, you got it, and then your brother went *boom*. QED.
He said failure to heed his warning would lead to "more dead U.S. soldiers" because of the continued bloodshed.
That’s about as clearly written as solid mud. Good, Mr UPI. Thanx.
But when pressed by United Press International, Aziz said that despite his criticism of the U.S. security measures, he would ensure that the Badr Brigades cooperated with disarmament efforts. U.S. authorities have set an unofficial deadline of Saturday for such a move.
Blatant plug... Mr UPI saves the day, extracts the crucial intel, and we’ll all live happily ever after, I guess.
"We do not want them to fight the U.S. forces," Aziz said.
Cuz they get very dead when they do.
Highlighting complications surrounding such security issues, on Friday at least eight Iraqi security personnel involved in a car chase were reportedly killed by U.S. forces, apparently mistakenly, in Fallujah, only 30 miles from Baghdad.
Yup. We know about that.
The Iraqi policemen in three cars were pursuing suspects in a fourth car, the BBC reported. Apparently, U.S. troops opened fire at a checkpoint when the vehicles passed through, also killing those in the car being chased.
That happens when you approach an armed force at a checkpoint at high speed and sporting arms. Hard to tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys in Iraq. Might be because there are so few reliably good guys - and the majority of those are up in Kurdistan, er, the North.

No Ethnic Militias
In his interview with UPI, Aziz clarified his position as opposing individual ethnic and religious groups providing their own unilateral militias -- like the Badr Brigade -- for security, but called for a group operated by a multi-ethnic council that would oversee security and coordinate with the U.S. forces.
"I will, of course, be happy to lead such a force..."
"We don’t want to see militias formed," he said. "We would rather see one military or security service formed by a government. But we are at the urgent stages of the occupation and must find a quick treatment. This group (the Badr Brigade) can play an important role (in such oversight)."
"Yes, um, it’s for the good of Iraq, you see."
In reference to his brother’s killing outside the shrine of the Imam Ali in Najaf, Aziz placed the blame on remnants of Saddam Hussein’s regime as the single largest threat to the development of a sovereign Iraq.
"Yeah, the Ba’athists did it, that’s the ticket. Saddam always did like me best."
"Followers of Saddam are the biggest and most dangerous threat to the Iraqi people," he said. "The martyrdom of Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim is very important for the Iraqi people to understand the plans being laid against them to create (divisions) in the Iraqi community.
"The Ba’athists are behind everything - why haven’t you killed them all, yet?"
"I will fight to maintain Iraqi sovereignty and not let the enemies of Iraq succeed in shredding (a free and multi-ethnic) Iraq."
Funny you should mention shredding, but it doesn’t make much sense in this context, AA.
In a recent statement believed to be from Saddam, the former Iraqi leader denied involvement in the killing. And while many Iraqi Shiite suspect the killing was conducted by fundamentalist Sunnis from outside Iraq, Aziz did not make any reference to outside forces. He did, however, rebuke Arabic-language satellite news networks, such as al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya, whom he accused of giving credibility to the remnants of the Iraq regime and those who would come to Iraq to commit acts of violence.
Don’t like being the Arabic killing fields huh? Don’t want to acknowledge the external jihadis, either. Typical... Saving it for another interview, I guess.
He said the stations should stop spreading disinformation and warned them against "participating in separating Iraqis from each other and the calling for killings, support for terrorist groups and defending them and their motivations."
An Arab who knows that the Arabic "news" outlets are active participants instead of observers, and not sympathetic to stability in Iraq, either. Who’da thunk it?
He specifically chided them for describing opponents of a unified Iraq as a resistance force and for calling their casualties "martyrs," which has religious connotations in Islam. Although Aziz lacks the stature of his brother, who was considered a top cleric in Shiite Islam, he is widely considered both religiously conservative and reluctant to support the U.S. occupation.
"My brother was taller than me, so he was the big dude at home. Hang on there - ’martyr’ is religious stuff! See this turban!???!? I will decide who is a martyr and who is just a deader!"
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
Link


Iraq
Iraq Suspects Said to Have al-Qaida Ties
2003-09-02
Nine of 25 people arrested in the deadly car bombing that killed a prominent Shiite cleric have links to al-Qaida, a senior police official said Tuesday. One of the nine was arrested while carrying a message that read, ``The pig has been killed’’ - an apparent reference to the Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim, who died in Friday’s attack along with scores of other people, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Thought he was seen sending this in a e-mail? Maybe his controller gave him the message to send and had to write it for him. If so, maybe he wrote down the address as well.
The bomb was placed in a car stolen from an Iraqi government agency, which was parked overnight at the Imam Ali mosque before being detonated remotely as al-Hakim left at the end of Friday prayers, the official said. The nine include two Saudis and a Palestinian with a Jordanian passport, the official said. The rest were Iraqis, he said.
I see a Palestinian, I think imported bomb expert.
Their alleged links to the al-Qaida terrorist network had been determined through interrogation, the official said, adding that they told police they had plans to target oil pipelines, electrical and water utilities and other political and religious leaders. The police official said several of the men carried satellite pagers through which they were able to communicate both inside Iraq and possibly to nearby countries.
The FBI should be able trace where those page’s come from. Don’t know if the messages stay in a server some where.
Iraq has no cell phone system and most land lines of the old prewar telephone system have not been repaired. The official said 16 other suspects in the bombing had been taken into custody but their interrogation had been slowed because U.S. forces, under the direction of the FBI, had taken control of the investigation. He said the U.S. soldiers had forbidden local police to use their normal interrogation methods, which include physical violence.
Of course, if we had let the locals handle it their way, the al-Guardian would be screaming from the mountain top about it.
Seven senior members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party also had been arrested since the bombing, but it was not known if they were directly linked to the mosque attack, the official said.
That’s OK, they need to be in the jug on general purposes.
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Iraq
Sammy sez it wudn't him
2003-09-01
A new audiotape Monday purporting to carry the voice of Saddam Hussein denied involvement in the bombing in Najaf that killed 125 people, including a cherished Shiite leader.
I actually don't think it was. If it wasn't Moqtada it was the Qaeda bunch, and the more I think about it, the more I believe it was them. They've got even more to gain from stirring the pot than Moqtada — though it's convenient one of his rivals is dead. Sistani had better keep a close eye on his car...
The message was broadcast after the U.S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council named a new Cabinet in a step toward reclaiming some powers from the American occupation administration. Using Saddam's well-known rhetorical style, the voice urged the Iraqi people not to believe those who blamed the ousted dictator and his followers for Friday's attack on the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf that killed Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim. "Many of you may have heard the snakes hissing, the servants of the invaders, occupiers, infidels, and how they have managed to accuse the followers of Saddam Hussein of responsibility for the attack on al-Hakim without any evidence," said the tape, which was broadcast by the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television station. "They rushed to accuse before investigating," the voice said. While he denied any role in the Najaf bombing, he made no mention of the Jordanian Embassy bombing on Aug. 7 or the U.N. headquarters attack 12 days later, which investigators suspect may have also been committed by Saddam's followers.
Or by Qaeda buttinskies, or a combination of the two...
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