 Iraq's Al Qaida wing said yesterday a hostage crisis in Madaen near Baghdad had been fabricated to give Iraqi forces a pretext to raid the town and attack Sunnis, according to an Internet statement. Meanwhile, Iraq's caretaker prime minister blamed the kidnappings Al Qaida's wing and said it was part of a plan to spread sectarian strife.
"The infidels fabricated the case of the hostages. They are lying," the Sunni group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab Al Zarqawi said in the statement on a web site.
"The infidels and apostates incited them (Shiites) to lie so that they can invade Madaen as they did Falluja ... and other cities," it said, referring to last year's US-led military offensive against the Sunni city west of Baghdad. Iraqi forces, backed by US troops, surrounded Madaen yesterday to prepare to rescue Shiite hostages. A senior Shiite official in Baghdad said up to 150 hostages were being held, including women and children. But a police official has said the number of hostages could be as few as three.
| Slight discrepancy in numbers there, though it wouldn't really matter to you if you happened to be one of the three... |
Al Qaida Organisation for Holy War in Iraq said the standoff in Madaen was triggered by Iraqi troops raiding Sunni homes. "The enemies of God, the pagan guards and police helped by the crusaders and Jews raided Sunni homes, beat up Sunnis in front their families, arrested them and took them to (the southeastern city) Kut for no reason or crime," it said. On other hand, Allawi said in a statement "unfortunately, evil powers are trying to disturb the peace of our country, stop progress, destroy Iraq, keep killing innocent civilians and planning for the start of ethnic, sectarian and religious division." |