Iraq seized 200 suspected insurgents during poll

Reuters ^ | 1/31/05

[kattracks]

BAGHDAD, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces detained more than 200 suspected insurgents, including four Arab foreigners, in a crackdown that helped reduce attacks during Sunday's election, the interior minister said on Monday.

"What happened yesterday was the result of the security plans put in place by the Interior Ministry and Iraq's security forces for the election," Falah al-Naqib told reporters.

He said 129 suspects had been rounded up near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown in the Sunni region north of Baghdad, out of a total of 202 detained nationwide. The detainees included two Saudis, an Egyptian and a Yemeni, he said.

He said Iraqi security forces had also killed four insurgents in shootouts on polling day.

U.S. and Iraqi security forces enforced draconian measures for the election, shutting down Iraq's borders and airspace, banning civilian vehicles, imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew and putting tens of thousands of security men on the streets.

Suicide bombs and mortar attacks, mostly in Baghdad, killed 35 people, but failed to prevent millions of Iraqis from going to the polls in the first multi-party election in decades.

In the week before the election, the government announced the arrest of several senior aides to al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, suggesting it was making inroads against the group that had sworn to turn polling day into a bloodbath.

However, some government officials cast doubt on the importance of the arrests, suggesting the announcements were designed to generate pre-election publicity.

[mtbopfuyn]

But will they let them out on the streets by tomorrow?

[dawn53]

It was easy...just look for the folks without purple fingers.

[SolutionsOnly]

It seems that any uncredentialed foreigner in Iraq at this time should automatically be deported or incarcerated.

The US government's casual 'undocumented worker' philosophy appears to be showing up in Iraq, too (sarcasm).

[Publius6961]

Even easier: Look for healthy, stocky armed men without purple fingers...

[Publius6961]

Ooops. That's what he said.
But the color's got to be good for a few days.

[Coop]

So, to sum up your question, are Iraqis stupid?

[angkor]

Anyone see followup on the guys throwing grenades from an ambulance in Baghdad? According to a story yesterday, a crowd surrounded the ambulance and they took the perps "into custody."

[Coop]

He said 129 suspects had been rounded up near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown in the Sunni region north of Baghdad, out of a total of 202 detained nationwide. The detainees included two Saudis, an Egyptian and a Yemeni, he said.

He said Iraqi security forces had also killed four insurgents in shootouts on polling day.

Plus nine homicide bombers that removed themselves from humanity (God rest their victims' souls). Not a good day to be a terrorist.

[Fresh Wind]

However, some government officials cast doubt on the importance of the arrests, suggesting the announcements were designed to generate pre-election publicity.

I see they have Democrats in Iraq, too.

[Coop]

More good news (unless you're a terrorist):

Four Al-Qaeda [Terrorists] Captured in Kuwait Gunbattle

By Times Online and Agencies

Kuwaiti security forces killed five al-Qaeda militants and captured four others, including a top leader, during a prolonged gun battle today. State media said that the four captured men included Amer al-Enezi, who is suspected of training militants and helping them go to Iraq to join insurgents there...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1464332,00.html

[Tom Bombadil]

However, some government officials cast doubt on the importance of the arrests, suggesting the announcements were designed to generate pre-election publicity.

It constitutes intimidation of your foe.

Something the Iraqi people understand......Here's hoping that the election is the hoped for "tipping point" where useful intelligence will turn into an avalanche.

[Coop]

And I missed this one over the weekend, but certainly something to smile about:

http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/?action=fullnews&id=66406

[World News]: Islamabad, Jan 29 : Pakistani police have arrested as many as 16 Al Qaeda terrorists in various raids conducted all over the country...

Bhatti added that on being informed that Al Qaeda suspects were hiding in Pashtoonabad and Kharotabad area, police teams raided the areas and apprehended the suspects.

The arrested included a former deputy governor of Helmand province of Afghanistan, identified as Mullah Khushdil Khan, former Afghan police chief Mullah Muhammad Ibrahim, former police chief of Mizar-e-Sharif Abdul Nabi and others.

...following the arrests, police have widened their scope of investigations. (ANI)

[nuconvert]

Good news, indeed.
Thanks

[Cornpone]

Cripes. Now the Dems are going to be screaming the election was a fraud because it was really a security operation designed to capture insurgents.

[trebb]

I see they have Democrats in Iraq, too.

My initial thought tooo when I saw the statement - truth has no meaning to some of the idjits out there; timing is everything.

[nuconvert]

"The arrested included a former deputy governor of Helmand province of Afghanistan, identified as Mullah Khushdil Khan, former Afghan police chief Mullah Muhammad Ibrahim, former police chief of Mizar-e-Sharif Abdul Nabi and others."

Bad day for former police chiefs

[EmilyGeiger]

They just had to get that last sentence in didn't they? Afraid the story was just a little too positive so they had to find a line to make it sound like yesterday was just propaganda.

[ex-Texan]

You seem to really be on top of what's happening all over the M.E. Good posts this morning. Perhaps you ought to be working for Ida or another alphabet mystery group?

Please take care. Peace be with you.

[MomwithHope]

I wondered when I saw they were using the purple ink if it was also part of the plan to use it after the election, to check out people who didn't vote more closely.
I think the purple ink thing is a great idea, we should use it here, especially in Chicago, Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida to ensure people wouldn't vote more than once.