Posted on 12/25/2006 3:50:05 PM PST by La Enchiladita
British forces killed seven gunmen and blew up the headquarters of the police serious crimes unit in southern Basra in a raid to rescue prisoners who were about to be killed, the British military said.
Calling the police station a centre of "criminal enterprise" and a symbol of oppression for the city's residents, the military said the building was demolished with explosives after a pre-dawn assault by around 1,000 troops backed by tanks.
Many of its 127 prisoners, all suspected criminals, were found crowded into a small cell, living in "appalling conditions", the military said. A number had crushed feet or hands and gunshot wounds to the knee, apparent signs of torture.
British military spokesman Captain Tane Dunlop said the unit had been taking the law into its own hands. . . .
Iraq's Kurdish president Jalal Talabani yesterday protested the arrest by US forces of two Iranian diplomats who U.S. officials say were seized in raids against Iranians suspected of planning attacks on security forces.
. . .
In Tehran, the Foreign Ministry said the "move is not compatible with any international regulations and will provoke unpleasant repercussions".
The US State Department said in a statement that . . . those with diplomatic immunity were handed over to the Iraqi government "which in turn turned them over to the Iranian government. The remaining group of individuals remain in custody for further questioning..."
"We suspect this event validates our claim about Iranian meddling," said White House spokesman Alex Conant.
US and Iraqi officials have long accused Iran of interfering in Iraq's affairs and fuelling sectarian conflict. In the single worst attack on Christmas Day, a car bomb in a mainly Shi'ite district of the Iraqi capital killed 10 people.
(Excerpt) Read more at smh.com.au ...
The force returned fire with heavy machineguns, killing seven gunmen, Burbridge said.
British forces seized senior members of the rogue unit last week. It has long been accused of involvement in murders, attacks on U.S.-led forces and kidnappings in the city.
"The unit, some 400-strong, was known to have been heavily infiltrated by anti-coalition elements," the British military said in a statement.
Good work, I'd say.
Good work indeed. Send them to Chicago next.
That'll be after L.A.... LoL..
One of your favorite Coalition units, hard at work in Iraq today.
Nice work. Good on ya, mates.
Next time just say "OOOOPS!" and shoot them. Thats what they do to our soldiers.
Derka, Derka, Derka!!!!
Basra, da bomb!
Can you imagine if the U.S did this though? We'd be accused of a massacre & tried and convicted before we ever got to court. Anyway- good job Brits- keep them scum from corrupting what you coalitions are working so hard to maitain- hopefully more people will start comming forward with tips against corrupt officials like that. http://sacredscoop.com
Been way too long in coming. Should have happened a long time ago. Now the fundamentalists Shites will just wait out the UK departure.
Is Blair going to go aggressive and challenge the abuses now? Doubtful.
The Iraqi government NEEDS to start internal investigation teams right now! This can't go on any l;onger if the government is going to make it over there.
Very well stated, lindasmith. I think you've summed it up; and welcome to Free Republic!
444 DAYS...they held our embassy staff...and they're making statements like that.
Welcome to FR.
Need any help with anything, feel free to ask any of us. about 5% will go well beyond to help you figure it out as far as posting and formatting. the other 95% percent will tell you what to think.
Way past time for US to be "unpleasant."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iran: KABOOM!!
bttt
Internal investigation teams to do what? To reveal the double hands they've been playing like hosting Iranian military people who arrange attacks?
Or did you mean along the lines of lining the pockets of themselves and their families?
Look- I know it's going to be tough to find honest folks to do the investigations, howeever, all I'm saying is that they must try if their government is going to make it democracy wise- otherwise, the continuerd corruption and violence will never cease-
IIRC they tried this in L.A. when Chief Gates was Police Chief and they called him insane. As bad as things have turned out in L.A. you have to wonder who the insane ones were. In my book, it's the ones that stopped him and forced him out of office. We could use a few more with Chief Gates heavy hand in certain cities around the country.
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