Posted on 08/30/2003 4:46:48 AM PDT by kattracks
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - With U.S. troops watching from a distance, dozens of Iraqi police stormed a farm near Tikrit on Saturday in what the Americans said was a promising sign that Iraqis are beginning to take responsibility for their own security.
The police raid in Saddam Hussein's hometown, 120 miles north of Baghdad, showed signs of confusion. The Iraqi police commander who led the raid said he believed that boxes of ammunition and artillery fuses unearthed in a dusty field were buried by the Iraqi army, contradicting the Americans who insisted the Russian-made equipment was recently hidden by guerrillas.
``We want the Iraqi police to take the initiative and be as independent as possible, so that we can go home when our job is done here,'' said Lt. Col. David Poirier, commander of the 720th Military Police Battalion.
At the break of dawn, a column of Iraqi police vehicles, followed by U.S. Humvees and armored vehicles, fanned out across a field next to a main highway. Iraqi policemen in green uniforms, training their AK-47 rifles, took positions around farmhouses to secure the area.
Minutes later, Poirier and his escort broke open the doors of one of the storage houses and questioned the owner, Ghaib Ibrahim, 50, about any hidden weapons or ammunition. Acting surprised but calm, the Iraqi farmer led the police and the Americans to a spot in the field where he said the Iraqi army had buried the weapons before the U.S. military seized the town in April.
``There are a lot of weapons buried here. I told the Red Cross about it. But they never came,'' Ibrahim said.
He denied that any Saddam Fedayeen guerrillas were active in his area. ``Iraqi soldiers buried them here before they ran away.''
Poirier was suspicious.
He said the raid was a follow-up to one on Tuesday, when Iraqi police and U.S. troops found brand new SA-7 shoulder-fired missiles, mortars, plastic explosives and TNT sticks buried in piles of straw at the farm next door.
``Some of these explosives belonged to the Fedayeen,'' he said, adding that owners of that farm had pictures of Saddam on the walls when U.S. troops returned days later.
Observing from high ground, Brig. Gen. Hamed Names Yassen, the Iraqi deputy police provincial commander, seemed unconvinced.
``This ammunition was left behind by the Iraqi army. Civilians were not allowed to carry weapons. I don't believe this belongs to Fedayeen,'' he said.
U.S. troops loaded the boxes of ammunition into their vehicles. Poirier said they would be destroyed and Ibrahim, the farm owner, questioned by Iraqi police.
U.S. commanders praised the cooperation and eagerness of Iraqi police. American military police have been training the Iraqis in human rights and police skills. The American military is also training the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, a paramilitary militia that will assist coalition forces in guarding key installations and manning checkpoints.
``We're very happy with the cooperation,'' Yassen said. ``We're learning a lot. But it may take some time before we're ready to take over from the Americans. I think we need more training.''
Tikrit remains a dangerous place for U.S. troops and Iraqis working with the Americans. On Thursday, the town police chief narrowly escaped an assassination attempt that critically wounded his driver.
In the previous three days, U.S. troops patrolling the town faced several ambush attempts by suspected Fedayeen guerrillas, said Maj. Bryan Luke, of the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment. Two Iraqis were arrested and one was killed after opening fire on U.S. patrols in separate incidents, he said.
Associated Press reporter Andrew England contributed to this report from Baqouba.
08/30/03 07:21 EDT
``There are a lot of weapons buried here. I told the Red Cross about it. But they never came,'' Ibrahim said.
What did the Red Cross know and when did they know it?
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