http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20041005-022526-7903r.htm
"Al-Sadr militia pumping up with drugs"
By Sharon Behn
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "An Iraqi engineer, incredulous at reports of drugs being bought and sold by the militia inside Sadr City mosques, sent a member of his staff to purchase a sample.
"She brought me capsules filled with powder heroin that they are selling everywhere in Baghdad and financing their fight from this trade," said the engineer, who asked that his name not be used.
He said the heroin was entering the capital through the southern Iraqi cities of Amara and Basra both Mahdi militia strongholds from Iran.
U.S. military reports also have said that members of Sheik al-Sadr's Mahdi's Army are using a local drug similar to the mildly euphoric stimulant known as khat, which is widely used across the Arabian Peninsula.
"Reports are that a large percentage, maybe as high as 85 percent of [Mahdi's Army] fighters are using a hallucinogenic drug, Arteen, to provide courage during their attacks," according to one document focusing on the security situation in southern Iraq.
The document said the drug made the typically black-clad fighters feel bolder and less fearful. It also "makes them less predictable and looking for fights," it warned."
ON THE NET...
DEA.gov: "PRESS RELEASES"
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/news_releases.htm
THE ANTIdrug.com: "DRUGS and TERROR"
http://www.theantidrug.com/drugs_terror/index.html
Courage in a capsule, how nice.