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Iraq-Jordan
Mortar Attack on Baghdad Prison Kills 21 Detainees
2004-04-20
A barrage of 18 mortars hit a Baghdad jail Tuesday, killing 21 prisoners, the U.S. military said. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said the mortar strike hit the Baghdad Confinement Facility run by the U.S.-led coalition. He told a news conference that preliminary reports said all the casualties were prisoners.
Oh. Shucks. Darn.
He said he did not know if the prisoners were suspected criminals or "security detainees," Iraqis detained on suspicion of involvement in anti-U.S. violence or in the remnants of Saddam Hussein's Baathist regime. He had no further immediate details.
Interesting. Why shoot up a jail full of presumed insurgents, rather than their jailers? Could it be somebody knew something?
Posted by:Steve

#9  The theory at which you arrive depends directly on how smart you think the mortar tossers are.
Posted by: Anonymous4381   2004-04-20 6:33:05 PM  

#8  Sounds more like a Jail-break to me. Remember about a 2 months ago terrorists broke out their friends and killed the defending IDF? They couldn't get they're physically, so they took the next option: Blow the walls down from a distance. Didn't quite work out the way they planned though.
Posted by: Charles   2004-04-20 5:52:10 PM  

#7  3) numerous but not particularly competent insurgents, who see the prison as one of the few big signs of coalition authority in Abu Graib (fiercely anti-US town between Baghdad and Fallujah)
Posted by: Liberalhawk   2004-04-20 4:07:32 PM  

#6  Who would have the motivation to blow up a bunch of prisoners? (1) their former compatriots who wanted to make sure they didn't sing, or (2) people who hated them and wanted them dead before they were imprisoned, and now have them targetted as sitting (imprisoned) ducks. Any other theories? This seems intriguing to me.
Posted by: sludj   2004-04-20 3:56:11 PM  

#5  I thought the same thing as Kathy when I heard the story. Word leaks out that somebody is singing, and his erstwhile pals try to shut him up. Maybe it kills him, maybe it just scares him silent. If you can't bribe the guards and you have a few mortars in your kitchen cabinet . . .
Posted by: James   2004-04-20 1:55:52 PM  

#4  Kathy, IF there was a prisoner that ‘knew too much’ a mortar would be the LEAST affective way of dealing with him. Why not just take him out and shoot him? Shoot him while trying to escape? God I love you kool aid drinkers, you make life (and politics) interesting! Is your real name McKinney?
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-04-20 12:04:21 PM  

#3  Kathy, I think you give too much credit to their aiming skills
Posted by: Frank G   2004-04-20 10:43:40 AM  

#2  Why do I think there was probably a prisoner in there who 'knew too much'?
Posted by: Kathy K   2004-04-20 10:33:34 AM  

#1  I believe that in some circles incidents like this are referred to as "public service homicides."
Posted by: Mike   2004-04-20 10:24:55 AM  

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