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| Iraq |
| Big Jailbreak in Mosul |
| 2007-03-06 |
| Dozens of al Qaeda-led militants stormed an Iraqi jail in the northern city of Mosul on Tuesday and freed up to 140 prisoners in one of the biggest prison breaks since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, police said. As many as 300 militants led by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq, attacked Mosul's northwestern Badoush prison just after sunset in the ethnically mixed city and overwhelmed police, who were forced to call the U.S. military for backup, officials said. Hisham al-Hamdani, a member of the Mosul provincial government, said Abu Omar al-Baghdadi took part in the attack himself. The Islamic State in Iraq is a body set up by al Qaeda's Iraq wing and other Sunni militant groups in October. Most of the prisoners were believed to be insurgents, police said. It was unclear if there were any clashes between gunmen and police during the incident. Saddam Hussein's nephew, Ayham Sabawi, escaped the same prison in December after he was accused of financing the Sunni insurgency against U.S. forces and the Shi'ite-led government. |
| Posted by:Glenmore |
| #8 As they say... take no prisoners. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-03-06 22:19 |
| #7 It was unclear if there were any clashes between gunmen and police during the incident. My bet, no. Probably one of those half now, half later deals... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-03-06 21:27 |
| #6 Bet most working in the jail were Saddam era holdovers. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2007-03-06 20:59 |
| #5 Maybe you are weird, #4 C, but not because of that idea. ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-03-06 20:36 |
| #4 Maybe Im a weirdo but I think if I was a prison guard on my way out I would have run down the cell block with a bag full of gernades one or two per box. |
| Posted by: C-Low 2007-03-06 19:16 |
| #3 Proves one thing: Better to kill than capture |
| Posted by: Captain America 2007-03-06 18:36 |
| #2 If al-Hamdani knows al-Baghdadi took part, then we need to find out HOW he knows this. He should take up residence in one of the now-vacant cells while that question gets investigated. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-03-06 18:27 |
| #1 Hisham al-Hamdani, a member of the Mosul provincial government, said Abu Omar al-Baghdadi took part in the attack himself. Uh huh, lotsa names here. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-03-06 18:22 |