FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794
STOP BY A BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD (It's in the Breaking News sidebar!)
Posted on 04/11/2003 9:45:20 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Iraqi officials at their Brazilian mission were seen Wednesday burning what appeared to be documents outside their embassy, Brazilian news sources reported.A photo by Brazil's official news agency, Agencia Brasil, showed an Iraqi official throwing papers onto a fire in the garden outside the Iraqi embassy in Brasilia.
Efforts by United Press International to confirm with Iraqi officials the exact content of the papers being destroyed or independently verify the incident were unsuccessful.
Local news sources reported, however, that at least two embassy employees were seen carrying boxes of papers out to the garden where a fire was burning. Brazil's Rede Globo TV attempted to inquire about the pyre but was repulsed by embassy employees who physically prevented the news team from taping the fire.
The unusual incident occurred on the same day that U.S.-led forces penetrated deep into Baghdad and claimed to have all but squashed Saddam Hussein's power base in the Iraqi capital.
The reluctance of Iraqi officials in Brasilia to speak out Wednesday is in stark contrast to the tough stance the mission's ambassador assumed just one day after U.S. and British forces began their invasion of Iraq.
On March 21, the Iraqi ambassador told UPI that he was receiving regular communiqués from his superiors in Iraq and expressed outrage at the suggestion that Iraqi officials worldwide be expelled from their mission at the request of the U.S. State Department.
"How can the United States ask this?" queried Jarallah Alobaidy. "Since the current (Iraqi) government still exists, it is an insult.
"It is a matter of civil authority in each country. The United States has no right to ask this of any country. ... It (the request) opposes international, diplomatic law."
Brazil said it would not honor the U.S. request.
I would venture a guess that Saddam was using his embassies around the world to launder his money.
It's the Brazilian edition of the Baghdad Bob show.
Lock down our borders !
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.