The 'Apache' farmer's tale

BBC ^ | 4/23/03 | BBC Monitoring

[Mensch]

The elderly Iraqi farmer who, according to Baghdad officials, literally shot his way to fame by downing a state-of-the-art US Apache helicopter with an old carbine has flatly denied he had anything to do with the crash.

At the height of the war, Iraqi TV showed pictures of the downed aircraft and said it had been shot down by farmer Ali Abid Minqash.

It broadcast poetry in praise of the "farmer who harvests both rice and Apaches". The local branch of the agricultural union also presented Mr Minqash with a plaque to commemorate his action.

Pictures of the results of Minqash's alleged feat were rebroadcast on Pan-Arab TV stations and Saddam Hussein himself praised the farmer in a televised address urging resistance to the US-led forces as part of a "people's war".

I didn't shoot down an Apache or anything else

"You probably remember the gallant Iraqi peasant who shot down a US Apache using an old weapon, the Brno," the Iraqi leader said on 4 April.

"Strike at your enemy strongly. Strike at your enemy with your strong faith wherever he comes close to you."

But a Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Rai Al-Am, says it has now tracked down the farmer, albeit with considerable difficulty.

"It might be easier to find ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein than to get to Minqash who rose to instant stardom on the satellite TV channels," it commented.

'I rubbed my eyes...'

Minqash told the paper that he had come across the aircraft in his field early one morning.

"I didn't shoot down an Apache or anything else. All that happened was that I went to the field, as I usually do early in the morning, and was surprised to find some bodies on the ground.

"I began to rub my eyes to make sure that what I was seeing was true or whether I was imagining it," he said.

"When I realised that it was really true, I was overcome by fear and rushed to the nearest government post to inform them that there was a plane in my field.

"A large number of [Ba'ath] party members and security men came with me to investigate. They told me that it was an American Apache aircraft and made me stay with them until someone who they said was a senior official arrived. I didn't know who he was.

"They asked me to say what you have heard on the TV satellite channels - that I shot down the plane with an old gun, a Brno."

Minqash 'going fishing' shock

The paper said that Minqash lives in a simple brick house encircled by palm trees and surrounded by livestock on all sides. He also has a large family and circle of acquaintances "who protect him with their geniality and spontaneity".

The geniality obviously extends to jokes about his 'feat'.

One runs that the US decided to withdraw its fleet from the Gulf once it learned that Minqash planned to go fishing there.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.

[bigfootbob]

"I didn't shoot down an Apache or anything else. All that happened was that I went to the field, as I usually do early in the morning, and was surprised to find some bodies on the ground."

Who's bodies?

[Kadric]

Have they found that Apache that was being hauled around on the flatbed yet? I've asked about it a couple times but never had anyone say.

[RetiredArmy]

All those bodies that Baghdad Boby said were killing themselves to keep the Iraquis from killing them! ;^)

[battlegearboat]

Book 'em Dano!

[Kadric]

If I had to guess would say the crew sleeping. Would explain why the chopper wasn't bombed if they were waiting for a rescue/repair team. I would wonder why they stayed with the chopper and didn't take turns standing guard.

[xm177e2]

I guess Bobby Fisk is going to have to apologize for stating as a fact that the helicopter was shot down by a farmer. He didn't even say "allegdly," or express any skepticism that MAYBE, just MAYBE the Iraqi regime might not have been telling the whole truth. Either that, or he'll say this guy is now scared of the Americans, and says what he wants them to hear. This is what Fisk wrote:

Sometimes the communiqués are verifiable. An Apache actually was shot down by a farmer...

He used this as an example of the Iraqi Information Minister being more honest than the Pentagon. I hope some more natives decide to beat him up, he was obviously a willing supporter of Saddam Hussein.

[EternalVigilance]

Nah. I think he was just another victim. He was totally at the mercy of the Baathists.

I also think the joke about him going fishing is hilarious! ;-)

[EternalVigilance]

Oh, I'm sorry...I misread your comment. You were talking about Fisk! You're right. He deserves anything he gets.

Hanging for treason would be most appropriate.

[EllaMinnow]

Surprised?

Nah, me either.

[BushMeister]

According to the rescued POW pilot of the downed Apache, a 23mm round penetrated through the bottom of his helo, damaging some equipment (hydraulics or the like?) and forcing him to land the Apache.

[marron]

"I never shot down any helicopter. I swear it. It wasn't me."

[cyncooper]

But....but......THIS was the story that Saddam recounted on his tape that "proved" to the world that Saddam MUST be alive if he could tell about this particular incident!!!!!

LOL!

Didn't we say at the time----the old "helicopter shot down by lowly peasant farmer" was probably some stock scenario dreamed up by the evil regime? Why, YES, we did!

Now, if WE can figure this out using our noggins, why did reporters----even on Fox-----state matter of factly that Saddam's citing of the farmer shooting the helicopter down meshed with what had happened. Except it DIDN'T happen.

God, these libs drive me crazy with their refusal to use common sense.

[Ranger]

US decided to withdraw its fleet from the Gulf once it learned that Minqash planned to go fishing there.

What a line.

[spodefly]

"I want you to listen to me, because I am going to say this again. I did not shoot down that helicopter ... the Apache ... I never told anybody to lie, not a single time, never. These allegations are false, and I need to go back to work herding my goats."

[Ben Hecks]

I have seen photos on the internet of an Apache with damaged rotor blades and an individual holding a round that supposedly brought it down. The round was being held in a pair of vise grips and looked to be between 25 and 30 MM. The Apache in this photo does not appear to be the one that was hauled away on the semi-trailer....the rotor blade tips on that AC did not look to be badly damaged.

[KansasCanadian]

"I want you to listen to me, because I am going to say this again. I did not shoot down that helicopter ... the Apache ... I never told anybody to lie, not a single time, never. These allegations are false, and I need to go back to work herding my goats."

“I agree with those who have said that in my first statement after I testified about the Apache that I was not contrite enough. I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned.

It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that the sorrow I feel is genuine: first and most important, my family; also my friends, my sheeples, my goat herds, Miss Iraqi and her family, and the Iraqi people. I have asked all for their forgiveness.”

[RippleFire]

bump

[BunnySlippers]

Maybe he shot it down, maybe he didn't. The Americans control the country ... if I was him I wouldn't want to take credit for shooting down an Apache.

[WOSG]

One runs that the US decided to withdraw its fleet from the Gulf once it learned that Minqash planned to go fishing there.

LOL ... Iraqis with a sense of humor! nice to know :-)

I hope he has abig catch next time 'round.