Jailed Iraqi children run free as Marines roll into Baghdad suburbs

Agence France-Presse ^ | April 8, 2003

[HAL9000]

BAGHDAD (AFP) - More than 100 children held in a prison celebrated their freedom Tuesday as US marines rolled into northeast Baghdad amid chaotic scenes which saw civilians loot weapons from an army compound, a US officer said.

Around 150 children spilled out of the jail after the gates were opened as a US military Humvee vehicle approached, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Padilla told an AFP correspondent travelling with the Marines 5th Regiment.

"Hundreds of kids were swarming us and kissing us," Padilla said.

"There were parents running up, so happy to have their kids back."

"The children had been imprisoned because they had not joined the youth branch of the Baath party," he alleged. "Some of these kids had been in there for five years."

The children, who were wearing threadbare clothes and looked under-nourished, walked on the streets crossing their hands as if to mimic handcuffs, before giving the thumbs up sign and shouting their thanks.

It was not clear who had opened the doors of the prison.

Civilians also took advantage of the collapse of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's authority to grab weapons from an army base, said Group Sergeant Jeff Treiber.

As marines were alerted by radio that civilians had seized weapons, Treiber warned that anyone seen to be armed could be a target of US-British coalition forces.

"With the weapons they are becoming combatants," said Treiber. "If they don't take the weapons they will be fine."

Other residents stole air conditioning units, television sets and furniture from government buildings in an echo of the looting that was seen in the southern city of Basra.

A 19-year-old called Haider said people had been ransacking government compounds since the morning to steal weapons and furniture.

"Since the morning, nine o'clock, they have been looting. They are stealing weapons and I took three doors," he said.

At one stage the marines opened fire after coming under attack from snipers, leaving at least two civilians wounded.

One man needed treatment for gunshot wounds to his stomach and left arm.

But his friend, Abdul Amir Jaffa, said he did not resent the Americans despite the shooting.

"Americans are coming to free us," he told AFP.

The marines became increasingly edgy as crowds of people took to the streets to observe their progress.

"It's a problem with so many people in the area. Its hard to tell if there are enemy forces among them. You have to be careful returning fire with civilians all over the place," Lieutenant Anthony Sousa said.

Troops from the Marines' 1st Expeditionary Force also entered Baghdad on the east of the city Tuesday as thousands of armoured vehicles and Humvees poured into the capital for a showdown with Saddam Hussein's troops.

[unspun]

Remember Africa

[oyez]

And amazingly reported by France Press.

And soon to be denied by France Press.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Probably where he went to get dates.

[azhenfud]

Must be getting soft in my later years as my screen seems a bit fuzzy; thanks for the picture....

[CyberCowboy777]

Bump for all to see

[oyez]

It sure wasn't Martin Sheen or Susan Sarandon or Mike Farrell.

They are getting their vocal cords warmed up to tell us this is Bush propaganda.

[KSCITYBOY]

bump

[TLBSHOW]

Scott Ritter is a piece of trash. At another web site where he posts with William Pitt, I posted that same story and question part and I was slamming him for the pervert charges Scott came on using his site name of Karl Kammeron and said this to mw.....

Karl Kammeron aka (Scott Ritter)
Chef

posted 01-19-2003 02:29 PM
---

quote:
........
Originally posted by tlbshow:
You've spoke about having seen the children's prisons in Iraq. Can you describe what you saw there?
----

Rest assured, Toddie, what Scott would describe is nowhere as horrible as the sight of you trying to hit on Hartwick coeds in downtown Oneonta!

When CNN's people are given "FR"audulent information about Pitt, and then learn they've been lied to (that's right, LIED to by a thug activist who hates Pitt and doesn't give a flying shit about facts), they are not happy. And a lot of people are quickly becoming interested in your role in furthering this smear campaign against Pitt and Ritter. The NY Times Wash Post and other major media outlets are not touching the story. Daily News did not carry it in their print edition yesterday or today (hmmmmmmm).

You see, Todd, you have two big problems:

1: You have a really bad habit of talking too much online and telling -- or promoting -- lies and smears.

2: More people than you can imagine now know who you are because of your own online sloppiness.

Time to come clean, Todd. What is your role in this, and who has been sending you information on what is starting to look like an orchestrated smear of Ritter?

[gura]

To what address would we send them?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Because they'd lose badly.

[Aaron0617]

He put kids in prison. I am not surprised.

I am surprised. I knew to expect horror stories but not at this level. Why isn't this reported on CNN, Fox, MSNBC?

[freedom moose]

i wonder how long there have been children's prisons in Iraq. Anyone have more info?

[auggy]

"Remember it was Scott Ritter who stated he had seen proof of Hussein's abusive conduct toward children, but tried to keep it quiet as he stated he was for peace, not war. I'm sure I saw that article posted here but don't remember a title."

How could anyone see something like this and not be for freeing them? They are nearly as bad as, Saddam himself. I would have nightmares for a long time to see these children, then say I am not for the war. And Liberals are suppose to be compassionate?

[Terriergal]

"The soul of a nation is known by how it treats its children." --Unknown

[7thson]

This makes me angry as all get out. This was a question posed to Scott Ritter in an Time magazine interview. Follow the link and you can find the question.

He knew that children were being held in a prison and yet would not tell the world because of his selfish reasons. This man - Ritter - is a pedophile and the media still interview him!

What evil are we covering up in this world? If he knew this, then the other inspectors and Hans Blix knew about it. The UN knew about it. Reporters around the world knew about the evil of this regime and would not tell the world! Breaking the bones of babies feet, putting people into shredders, drilling holes in hands and filling the holes with acid, whipping people and then having them go through sewage and garbage. The UN knew about this and as did reporters and nobody said or did anything! And then the Vatican has the audacity to say that Bush has to answer to God and that the United States needs to work through the United Nations! We need to work hand in hand with evil!

Below is what we are doing in Iraq! We are freeing children and our service personnel our heroes - not villains or baby killers!

[justshutupandtakeit]

Any bets that >95% of the soldiers freeing these children HAVE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONS?

No I didn't think so.

[TxBec]

count me and my boys in.....

[TLBSHOW]

A wonderful idea Alamo-Girl!

Lets make it come true.

While we are at it we could send Scott Ritter boxes of rocks!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Here you guys go - another example of us evil neocons infringing on the freedom of dictators to imprison children. Read it, look at the pictures. Wallow in what kind of people you support and enable.

[algol]

During the Reagan years we were still fighting the Cold War. I think we needed to focus on the greater evil first. The Soviet Union disintegrated during the Bush 41 administration, and that required close attention.

Bush 41 did put together the coalition that forced Iraq out of Kuwait, imposed the no-fly zones, and reduced Saddam's threat to the region somewhat -- although I do fault him for not going all the way to Baghdad and finishing the job he started. (Although I acknowledge that the coalition would probably have disintegrated had he tried that.)