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| Iraq |
| Ashcroft: Organized crime rings were involved in looting |
| 2003-05-06 |
| EFL - Not much new here, but anytime Ashcroft's involved the left goes nuts, so expect the looting outcries to resurrect: Organized crime was involved in the looting of Iraq's national museum and the United States will fully back international efforts to retrieve the stolen artifacts, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft told an Interpol meeting Tuesday. The comments came at a conference of art experts and law enforcement officials aimed at creating a database listing items looted in the aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. ''From the evidence that has emerged, there is a strong case to be made that the looting and theft of the artifacts were perpetrated by organized criminal groups criminals who knew precisely what they were looking for,'' Ashcroft said. ''Although the criminals who committed the theft may have transported the objects beyond Iraq's borders, they should know that they have not escaped the reach of justice,'' he added, praising Interpol's efforts so far. Ashcroft did not say whether he suspected international organized crime such as the Mafia was involved in the looting, but other experts at the conference said they did not have any evidence of such involvement so far. ''We are waiting for more information,'' said Jean-Pierre Jouanny, an Interpol specialist in theft of cultural objects. Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of coalition forces in Iraq, has said the opposite that the Baghdad looting did not appear to be carried out by organized thieves. |
| Posted by:Frank G |