Iraq Foils Plot to Put {421 al-Qaida} Terrorists at Posts {around Green Zone}

Yahoo/AP ^ | 03/14/06 | BASSEM MROUE

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi interior minister said Tuesday that authorities had foiled an al-Qaida plot that would have put hundreds of its men at critical guard posts around Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the U.S. and other foreign embassies as well as the Iraqi government.

A senior Defense Ministry official said the 421 al-Qaida fighters were actually recruited to storm the U.S. and British embassies and take hostages. Several ranking Defense Ministry officials have been jailed in the plot, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

Interior Minister Bayan Jabr, in an interview with The Associated Press, said the 421 al-Qaida recruits were one bureaucrat's signature away from acceptance into an Iraqi army battalion whose job is to control the gates and main squares in the Green Zone. The plot was discovered three weeks ago.

"You can imagine what could happen to a minister or an ambassador while passing through these gates when those terrorists are there," Jabr said in the interview conducted at his office inside the Green Zone — a 2-square-mile hunk of prime real estate on the west bank of the Tigris River. The area is a maze of concrete blast walls, concertina wire and checkpoints.

The Defense Ministry official said the plot was uncovered by the military intelligence and the General Intelligence department that works under the government.

The Green Zone has been attacked in the past with mortar rounds and rockets. A number of car bombs driven by suicide attackers have been detonated in the past two years at the entrances, killing scores of people.

On Oct. 14, 2004, two al-Qaida members carried out a suicide attack inside the zone, hitting a market and a cafe. Six people were killed, including four Americans, and 20 people were

[Ditto]

For another, Al Qaeda's best personnel have probably already been transfered to other areas such as Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Lebanon, etc.

I'm thinking the "best" of them have been transferred directly to hell.

[TexKat]

An Interview with the Chief Aide of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Abu Hafsa al-Ansari, by al-Watan al-Arabi (Part 1) By SITE Institute

March 14, 2006

*Note: This is the first half of the interview. A translation of the remaining half in which Abu Hafsa al-Ansari touches upon Zarqawi’s injury, chemical weapons and political issues is forthcoming.

[reformedliberal]

Yeah, I will wager they are *concerned* and *saddened*.

I also will wager that the 400+ terrs we captured are the creme de la creme of the enemy's forces. I would love to know how many are *officers* vs *enlisted*, as well. Could be a very big intel coup for the good guys.

[sageb1]

"CNN's HQ is very close to where I am. I'm often tempted to go out on my balcony and yell "Stop your outright lying, you leftist scumbg!" while he's doing his little standup."

And the downside of doing just exactly that would be? :)

[Marine_Uncle]

"From the MSNBC story, this looks to me like like one particular tribe trying for working an angle for massive Ransom Monies....now I ask...where is Al-Queda?"
Their exiting the country most probably, and leaving behind those willing for some last blasts.
The electric generation stations have sorely been neglected due to the loss of revenues from neglected broken down refineries, and the al Qaeda attacks on oil pipelines.
No one should feel they have to make an excuse and denie there is not a grave problem in this area. However, the IIG can be shown to have not placed much emphasise on doing whatever it takes to improve these particular service industries. We are dealing with a backward and in-efficient country. The hopes is during this upcoming four term government, to get the right people in the ministry positions and underlings that will work hard at rebuilding and modernizing these two services. The US can only do so much to put bandaids on the many sore wounds.
Simple things like aging and ill maintained steam generators in their power plants that break down, lead to reductions in total electrical output. When we invaded, all the Russian engineers and techs who maintained these facilities left. I remember in early 2004 reading about generator stations being shut down, because parts where not available for repair and maintenance. Short of building them new modern power plants, this problem is not going to go away.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Please warn us first if you are going to do this. I want to Tivo such a fine moment.

[Marine_Uncle]

"From the MSNBC story, this looks to me like like one particular tribe trying for working an angle for massive Ransom Monies....now I ask...where is Al-Queda?"
Perhaps heading for easier target rich environments where they can set up a safer effective base operation.

[lowbridge]

bump

[reformedliberal]

My only sources are the media, so, FWIW, I have been reading that the AQ are in/heading to Afghanistan.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This could be a self serving press release from the Ministry of Interior...

See this :

Kurds to the rescue

***********************Excerpt************

“The key question is who is going to control the two critical ministries: interior and defense. In Iraq, as in much of the world, interior does not control the national parks. It controls the police. And under the current government it has been under Shiite control and infiltrated by extreme Shiite militias.”

Iraqis must feel safe in their own cities and towns in order for the country to stabilize. At this time, the ministry of interior has been part of the problem. Krauthammer says that the United States has been trying to defuse this problem:

[jmc1969]

I am sure it is a self serving press release designed to increase the chances the Interior Minstery will stay in radical Shia hands.

[jmc1969]

The question is if it is true or not.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

True or not,....that is the question......

[Calpernia]

The Iraqi interior minister said Tuesday that authorities had foiled an al-Qaida plot that would have put hundreds of its men at critical guard posts around Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the U.S. and other foreign embassies as well as the Iraqi government.

A senior Defense Ministry official said the 421 al-Qaida fighters were actually recruited to storm the U.S. and British embassies and take hostages. Several ranking Defense Ministry officials have been jailed in the plot, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

[Marine_Uncle]

Abu Hafsa al-Ansari is living in a land of fantasy. To much US after action reports have shown that his goons are being driven out of Al Anbar population centers along the Euphrates rivertine district areas. And are being forced to flee into the sh*t holes in the Syrian desert where very few roads exists, and are mostly populated by very independent bedouine tribes who hold allegance to no one.
The Arab mind cannot admit defeat as you are well aware. It is worse then death to many of them. I take with a large measure of salt of what they say as representing true conditions on the ground in this case.
If they where so damn strong and effective, why have the US army, Marines, and recently Iraqi Army driven them out of all major population centers, secured most of Al Anbar, now having the local tribal sheiks on our side, who now go after them. This guy like most of them simply tries to save face. And being an ex geologist, and now supposedly their main military advisor is sort of funny. All they can do is plan attacks on innocent and get off an occasional EID blast to kill a few US troops. The facts speak for themselves. These goons are no different then say a drug war lord who hires some kids in some US city to kill an apposing drug gang member. They have no means from a military point to do much to the Iraqi Army as it now stands, other then a few attacks planned in some secret safe house. And when the getting gets tough they seem to have no problem with slipping away hiding behind a herd of goats or whatever. Real proud desert warriors.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

421 al-Qaida fighters

All from one tribe?

Reason to be cautious of this whole report!

[Joan Kerrey]

What has become of the 421 Al Qaeda fighters?

It will take some time to process them. I understand that we're short of Korans and have back ordered the 300 thread count sheets, more memory foam mattresses and goose down pillows. Ramsey Clark and the ACLU need time to prepare objections to the arrests and MSM is investigating mistreatment of the prisoners before releasing just 1/2 the story. John Kerry is demanding overview authority be set up in congress before any of the prisoners are questioned or mishandled by our military. Jimmy Carter will be going to Iraq soon at the requests of relatives of the accused to witness the handling of the young men who claim that they've done nothing wrong. It is not known if Miranda rights have been given or lawyers assigned to each prisoner yet.

[Joan Kerrey]

for this kind of operation to get so far and so close boggles the mind.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Bit off topic but interesting:

Iraqi-Kurdistan: The Only Appropriate Response to Honor Killings and Fatal Fatwas

**********************************

Sir Charles Napier, the British Commander-in-chief in India from 1849 to 1851, signed an agreement with local Hindu leaders that he would respect all their customs, except for the practice of suttee, the incineration of widows. The Hindu leaders protested. Napier replied:

You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.