1-9 FA discovers enormous cache in Zafaraniya factory

CENTCOM ^ | 06/10/02 | CENTCOM

[Marine_Uncle]

June 10, 2005 Release Number: 05-06-01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1-9 FA discovers enormous cache in Zafaraniya factory

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A stockpile of materials used to make explosives was discovered June 5 by 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, at a factory in Northern Zafaraniya.

The stockpile consisted of over 1,000 sub-munitions and 56,000 fuses.

It was discovered after the owner of the factory met with a Coalition forces government support team, and told them that he wanted to open his factory but needed a pile of explosives removed from it first.

Coalition Forces sent a patrol to the factory to determine the type of explosives on site.

The factory owner, who preferred not to be named, thanked the Coalition forces and said there is an overwhelming feeling amongst the Iraqi people that things are getting better.

“One by one, the citizens of this country are taking action to stop the violence,” Lt. Col. Steven Merkel, 1-9 FA commander, said.

[Marine_Uncle]

Things continue to improve. This southeast Baghdad neighborhood is located not far from the Al Rasheed AFB in SE part of the city, as far as I can recon. Now I find it interesting that this factory for so long housed bad shit, and now the owner speakes up. Who knows, maybe he was part of the Baathist insurgents that figures it is better to cooperate then to end up dead. Or perhaps he keep his mouth shut about the stuff, but now finds those that threatened him are behind bars or six feet under. At any rate, it is nice to hear that a must likey sunni has spoken up about the weapon caches.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I am still holding out hope, that soon, someone in Iraq will open their mouth and " tell all " were some WMDs are being stored ( the WMDs that were there before the war ) and the MSM/Liberals/Democrats will have to backtrack on all of their comments and criticism about the war and President Bush, and all of them will have egg on their faces.

[A CA Guy]

Good for him, cleaned the junk out to participate in a little capitalism.

[Marine_Uncle]

"I am still holding out hope, that soon, someone in Iraq will open their mouth and " tell all " were some WMDs are being stored ..."

So am I. Someday some work crew is going to pull up a bunch of 55 gal. drums of positively identified Sarin nerve gas or something like it from the Tigris or Euphrates river, or buried in bunkers yet to be found. I keep going back to a year back when the 3ID found gas masks, hypos, and vials of antropine (used to counter the effects of nerve agents). Now those things just did not lay on the ground of those bunkers in Al Anbar by themselves. The day will come PITW when we shall have the last laught.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Good for him, cleaned the junk out to participate in a little capitalism.'

Yea CG. Great isn't it. The frigen guy wants to go into business again. What I did not meantion was, the very fact he is ready to start up his factory again. That tells me the folks in his area must not be afraid to go to work.

[A CA Guy]

I do like that. Sure beats poppy fields.

[Marine_Uncle]

"I do like that. Sure beats poppy fields.?

heheh. Hopefully he doesn't plan on refining opium at his factory, but making hanging ropes for all those upcoming trials.