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2004-08-08 Iraq-Jordan
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Details About Failed Attempt to Arrest Sadr
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From The Los Angeles Times
Iraqi security forces mounted an unsuccessful raid Saturday to seize rebel cleric Muqtada Sadr .... Members of the Iraqi National Guard and police tried to arrest him at his home in Najaf near the Imam Ali shrine .... But the militant leader was not at home. ....
"Is Tater here?"
"Whaddya want with him?"
"We're here to arrest him!"
"He ain't here! Come back later!" |
Even as Iraqi forces made their move against Sadr, interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said at a news conference in Baghdad that the government had received "positive messages" from the cleric and concluded that, in effect, he was not to blame for the violence. These are bandits and gangs trying to hide behind Muqtada Sadr," Allawi said of the insurgents. "We don't think those are his people. There is no statement from him committing himself to themâŠ. That's why I say it's not him." ...
| "He's a good boy, really. Misunderstood, y'know? Why, with the love of a good woman... uhhh... boy... uhhh... watermelon, he could go far!" |
"We surrounded the house, but he was not at home," said Gen. Ghalib Hadi Jazaery, Najaf's chief of police.
| Did the Soddies show you how to surround a place? |
Jazaery said his officers were serving an arrest warrant issued last year against Sadr in the killing of a rival cleric. U.S. troops tried to serve the warrant in April, igniting an uprising among his followers that lasted two months and left hundreds of Iraqis dead before ending in an uneasy cease-fire. "We want to clean up this city from this devil," Jazaery said.
| "... even if he is just misunderstood." |
There was confusion over who ordered Saturday's arrest attempt. U.S. officials said they were not involved in the raid. One Iraqi national guard commander, Lt. Col. Aqeel Khalil, accused Jazaery of grabbing 130 of his men for the raid without authorization. He said a guardsman was killed and nine were injured in the raid, and 17 were missing. "They've become shaken and scared," Khalil said. "They're in low spirits."
| That might be because they're not sure who's in charge or what they're trying to do... |
The move against Sadr came two hours before the expiration of a 6 p.m. deadline set by Najaf Gov. Adnan Zurfi for all militants hailing from outside Najaf to quit the city.
| "Tough guys who live in Najaf can stay..." |
Prime Minister Allawi, at his Baghdad news conference, said that of the 1,000 militants U.S. and Iraqi forces say they have captured, many have dissociated themselves from Sadr during questioning.
"No, no! Never liked him, never joined the party! Can I go home now?"
"Yeah, get outta here!"
"Can I have my rocket launcher back?" |
He reiterated allegations by Iraqi officials that most of the fighters had come to Najaf from other cities or countries, particularly Iran, or were criminals out to wreak havoc. The seeming contradiction between the attempt to seize Sadr and Allawi's conciliatory statements may be part of a delicate political balancing act.
| "Reeeeaaaalllly? Y'think? |
The transitional government is keen to stamp out the lawlessness and violence that have angered Iraqis since the U.S.-led invasion last year, but officials also desperately want to avoid setting off a rebellion among Iraq's long-suppressed majority Shiites. The prime minister is a Shiite. .... 
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Posted by Mike Sylwester 2004-08-08 9:40:56 AM||
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Posted by Zenster 2004-08-08 3:50:42 PM||
2004-08-08 3:50:42 PM||
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