Marines free 123 from Iraq hellhole (UNBELIEVABLE Alert!)

Straights Times ^ | 4/15/03 | Derwin Pereira

[Steven W.]

FOR three days, American tanks have been shelling a military intelligence building in the posh Al-Khathamia area in west Baghdad.

The dozen or so tanks are not here to pound intransigent fighters but to break down concrete beams and steel, to reach bunkers deep underground at the Al-Istikhbarat Al-'Askariya facility.

The Marines found 123 prisoners, including five women, barely alive in an underground warren of cells and torture chambers.

Being trapped underground probably kept them safe from the bombing of Baghdad by the coalition.

Severely emaciated, some had survived by eating the scabs off their sores. All the men had beards down to their waists, said onlookers.

Most looked absolutely dazed when they emerged, said Mr Sadoun Mohamed, 37, who lives in the area.

'They had not seen sunlight for a long time,' he said. 'They kept blinking and covering their faces.' He said they were taken to the Saddam Hospital for treatment.

Their names were posted on the walls of the Al-Hajabehia Mosque in west Baghdad, as were names of some 40 others known to have been executed or murdered in prison.

Hundreds of anxious locals wait for word of their family, relatives and friends, some of whom were taken away more than 10 years ago.

Outside Al-Istikhbarat Al-'Askariya, Mr Sadeq Al Saeed, 24, a construction worker, has been waiting sleepless for the last 36 hours. He said he had heard the facility had five levels below ground.

He said his father, an Iraqi army captain, was killed in 1991 during the first Gulf War, and his cousins Amer and Jasem and some 50 others were picked out by the secret police for chanting anti-Saddam slogans during the funeral procession.

'That was the last I saw of them,' he said.

'In the night, people raided their houses, blindfolded them and took them away.'

He hopes against hope that the Marines will be able to find his cousins, who were brought here to be interrogated.

This hellhole is believed to be one of many for Iraq's political prisoners. Thousands may still be behind bars though the regime released many criminals from prisons before the war.

The United States soldiers at Al-Istikhbarat Al-'Askariya would not say what they were doing there. Their tanks blocked the entrance.

This place could be part of the labyrinth of underground facilities which might still shelter regime members.

Under one palace, a German-designed 1,900 sq m bunker was built at a cost of US$90 million (S$160 million) with luxurious accommodation for the Iraqi President, his family, their bodyguards and staff.

More than 24 bunkers were identified 12 years ago. There may be more now, located under schools, hospitals, even mosques, and linked together.

The security police, or Da'irat Al-Mukhabbarat Al-'Amma; Iraqi Intelligence Service; and military intelligence, also built cells and tunnels underground.

Taxi driver Hathem Ejam, 36, said Mr Saddam's older son Uday, also used them for his harem discards.

Relaying widely-believed rumours, he said: 'He would pick any young girl he liked from the street, rape her, shave her head bald and then get his guards to dump her in an underground cell.'

[fuzzy122]

Where's Garofalo's apology?

MEGA-

Stay Strong
Fuzzy

[Free Trapper]

If you read this thread it'll raise hope for the other folk. :o)

I love this but can't stand waiting for an update on the other entombed folks.

Prayers for all and anymore that need help.

[happygrl]

God's people here in the States need to pray that all of God's people that are locked in an underground tomb are freed.

This will be my Holy Week prayer.

[nicmarlo]

I'm sorry if you've already been pinged....but this is great news and I believe it's related to MadIvan's post of yesterday.....

[Free Trapper]

Nic,this is a different deal altogether.Different part of the country.

These (were) rescued. :o)

I'm still waiting for any update on the other people that were burried alive as reported on the other thread.

[dansangel]

damn.....just *damn*

Thank God.....

[nicmarlo]

this is a different deal altogether.Different part of the country.

Unbelievable.....how many underground mass tombs did the evil doer have? How many are we currently aware of/digging up? This is absolutely terrible.

[Free Trapper]

If there are many more,maybe we'll be told where they are now that some people are talking.

If they have air,there's still a chance to save more.

I wonder if he still held any alive from the Gulf War.

Saddam ate off the Kuwaiti royals looted plates and he was evil enough to have kept live souvenirs.

[Illbay]

"Don't invade Iraq!
Inspections work.
War won't."

[AppyPappy]

I won't believe it until CNN says it's true < /sarcasm >

[Oldeconomybuyer]

As coalition forces and local Iraqis continue to free prisoners from Saddam's death chambers, I hope the anti-American left who marched in support of his regime are given ample media coverage to voice their support for a modern-day Holocaust -- this time against Arab civilians.

[InvisibleChurch]

I don't EVER want to understand this.

couldn't agree more

[Mudboy Slim]

"Mr Sadeq Al Saeed, 24, a construction worker, has been waiting sleepless for the last 36 hours. He said he had heard the facility had five levels below ground. He said his father, an Iraqi army captain, was killed in 1991 during the first Gulf War, and his cousins Amer and Jasem and some 50 others were picked out by the secret police for chanting anti-Saddam slogans during the funeral procession. 'That was the last I saw of them,' he said. 'In the night, people raided their houses, blindfolded them and took them away.'"

Incredible...and we KNOW Fidel Castro has similar torture chambers fer his political dissidents and the LeftWingDemonRATS celebrate Castro as a Hero of the People!!

Time to add Fidel to the Axis of EVIL...MUD

[showme_the_Glory]

"He said they were taken to the Saddam Hospital ........."


Why hasn't the name been changed on this place?????

[ZULU]

Thye probably are afraid that magnifying the depth of their involvement with this sadistic butcher will be even worse for their P.R. They apparently even have the audacity, along with the French and Russians of thinking that it will be business as usual with the new Iraqi regime.

If Bush really was as tough as he presents himself, he would require any new Iraqi regime to add a surplus tax on every barrel of oil sold to the Germans, French, Russians and Belgians to help pay back the U.S. and British and other coalition taxpayers for the cost of this adventure. This is only fair, because, had the U.N. Security Council presented a United Front, the war may not have been necessary, over 100 American and Coalition troops would still be alive, and the cost of this war would have been averted.

The intransigence of the French, Germans and Russians to listen to reason, thier collaboration with this mad despot, and their fialure to support us, their "ally" should have consequnces economically for them, and they should be severe. The same consequences should fall on all those nations who dealt with Saddam in violation of the U.N. resolutions.

[cricket]

"I hope the anti-American left who marched in support of his regime are given ample media coverage to voice their support for a modern-day Holocaust -- this time against Arab civilians."

. . .we can only hope FoxNews will keep their feet to the fire; btw. . .am wondering why this story has not received more media coverage per se. . .

[Aquinasfan]

Severely emaciated, some had survived by eating the scabs off their sores. All the men had beards down to their waists, said onlookers.

Apparently Nancy Pelosi had a secret plan to end all this, and at far lesser expense...

[Temple Owl]

Maybe Michael Moore could do a documentary on this. He's probably blame it on President Bush.

[Temple Owl]

ping

[BOBTHENAILER]

May God Damn every liberal who has defended and still defends the evil regimes of Saddam, Assad, the murdering mullahs in Iran and Fidel Castro!

I'll second that prayer and repeat it every day.

The horror wrought by those regimes and individuals will be answered, and the answer will be most unpleasant. The same will happen to their liberal supporters. Actually it is starting already and the whining grows louder every day.

Cry away you sons of bitches, you're getting only a tenth of what you deserve.