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Revenge killings claim lives of Saddam's cronies in southern Iraq
Dozens of Saddam Hussein's followers in Iraq's southern capital have been assassinated as they try to regroup and attack the coalition, the city's security chief told AFP on Sunday.
| To me, that's a good sign... |
"There have been too many political assassinations, dozens of them," said Colonel Mohammad Kazem Ahmad al-Ali, police director of internal security in Basra. "These were liquidations of senior members of the previous regime who had committed crimes against the people," Ali said in an interview. He declined to identify the perpetrators, but local residents said that members of the 20-to-30 political parties active in Basra have carried out the "revenge killings," targeting ranking members of the Baath party.
| He says that like it's a bad thing... |
"We provide full support to those who dissociate themselves from the (Baath) party ... But not to those who are trying to revive the regime and the party. These (people) are hoping to rebuild the party," Ali said. The coalition forces are investigating the deaths and have arrested some suspects, Ali said. "Arresting people involved in the assassinations is the task of the coalition. We focus on maintaining security on the streets," he said.
| "We don't really care about dead Baathists..." |
Some previously unknown political parties such as the "Tharallah" (God's Revenge) Party, are suspected by locals of having taken the law into their own hands because of the slow progress in arresting and trying former Baath officials. A large colour portrait of Saddam was found hanging from a major pedestrian bridge in downtown Basra early this week, witnesses said. The portrait was torn into small pieces by dozens of activists. Ali charged that "remnants of the deposed regime" were coordinating with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network to carry out attacks against vital institutions. "Just five days ago, a group of terrorists hurled several hand grenades on a school in Jomhuriya neighbourhood. Thank God, no one was hurt and there was no damage. "A group of people were arrested. They are members of the former regime, but were found to be linked to al-Qaeda," said Ali, declining to give further details.
According to Ali, coalition forces in the Basra area have arrested a large number of suspected "terrorists" and Saddam loyalists. The ousted Baath party is reorganising and behind an increasing number of attacks on oil installations in Iraq, the Middle East Economic Survey reports in its Monday edition. The respected newsletter gives credibility to a statement purportedly issued by the Baath party this month outlining a new strategy to end occupation. It says deposed president Saddam has named a new leadership to organise the party throughout the country and to lead the resistance. asra, an open, port city, is rife with oil smuggling and organized crime, but is also a favourite spot for foreign fighters to enter Iraq, Ali claimed.
| That might ahve something to do with the smuggling and organized crime, y'know? |
"Terrorists try to come through Basra ... They include members of terror networks like al-Qaeda and organized crime gangs. They try to infiltrate through the southern region also because of its long land borders," with Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, he said. The coalition forces in coordination with Iraqi police have launched a crackdown on oil smugglers and others involved in illegal activities. Hundreds have been arrested. Even so, Ali warned the Iraqi police face a tough battle rounding up thousands of ex-convicts freed by Saddam in October 2002 ahead of the US-British invasion. "Some 60,000 hardcore criminals serving long prison terms and some awaiting execution were freed from Saddam prisons. These have become a time bomb," said Ali.The police department receives an average of 50 arrest warrants daily against criminals, he said. So far we have arrested hundreds of suspects, many with previous criminal records. Many are former convicts released before the war," Ali added. As a result, the number of murders, house robberies and armed assaults has "dropped significantly," during the past few months, he said. But the perception on the street is that the city remains dangerous.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-11-09 |
