Comments

You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Iraq

Mehdi army leader in Basra killed

2007-05-25

Get out your violins!
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi special forces killed the leader of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Friday after he tried to resist arrest, the British military said. Spokesman Major David Gell said Abu Qader and at least one aide were shot shortly after leaving Sadr's offices in the centre of the city, the hub of Iraq's main oilfields. He said the operation was authorised by the Iraqi government.

A senior member of Sadr's political movement said their response to the killing would be limited to "political resistance".

"Please don't kill us too!"

Gell said British forces were braced for any violent backlash. He described Abu Qader as the leader of the Mehdi Army in Basra and said he was suspected of involvement in planting roadside bombs, weapons trafficking, assassinations and planning and participating in attacks against British troops.

He said the operation had been Iraqi-led with British troops acting as advisers. "During the arrest operation the targeted individual was killed ... after he resisted arrest," he said.

Almost like a .. cross-fire.

The senior member in Sadr's movement blamed British troops for Abu Qader's death. He said the militant leader had just left Friday prayers when British forces ambushed and killed him with two other Mehdi Army members. British troops have stepped up operations against Shi'ite militias in the city in recent weeks as they prepare to hand it over to Iraqi security forces.

Posted by:Glenmore

#8 It's about time they found the balls to throw him in a dungeon.

al-Sadr needs to have a "work accident". Anything else would just make him a martyr. A work accident just reaffirms the belief that he's stupid.

Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-05-25 13:51

#7 I suspect that this bird was an Iranian tool, and the rest of the Mahdi army are damn glad he is no longer in the picture. In fact, they probably ratted him out as a tool, on the assurance that the government wouldn't try too damn hard to take him alive.

Like they say in Mafia movies, "It's nothing personal, just business."

Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-05-25 13:27

#6 He's supporting insurrection against the Iraqi government. It's about time they found the balls to throw him in a dungeon.

Posted by: Apostate 2007-05-25 13:19

#5 The enemy is never gonna cave if we continue to allow a guy like tater to thumb his nose at us. I'll be a lot happier when I see the tater cell-phone hanging video.

Posted by: Intrinsicpilot 2007-05-25 12:38

#4 Newspaper this a.m. said "tater" was back in Iraq.

Posted by: JohnQC 2007-05-25 12:08

#3 From 15,000 feet, I mean.

Posted by: Seafarious 2007-05-25 12:01

#2 Deliver his body to Tater, "courtesy of the red, white, and blue"

Posted by: Seafarious 2007-05-25 11:52

#1 I really hope it was the Iraqi Special Forces that killed this bastard. It's pretty obvious that these c*nts won't give up until they get start f*cked by other Iraqis whom they know won't be leaving. Benchmark for when this war is won: the main media focus becomes "human rights abuses" of the Iraqi security forces. When this is the story, our troops can start coming home.

Posted by: Apostate 2007-05-25 11:48

00:00