Iraqis Cracking Down on Terrorists :: Middle East News and Perspectives

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January 2, 2005

Iraqis Cracking Down on Terrorists

Topics: Middle East News and Perspectives

Powerline has a post on the translation of an article that appeared today in the Iraqi Arabic newspaper Nahrain. The translated article contains some very positive news concerning the Iraqi government's progress in their war against the terrorists in Iraq. The translator, Haider Ajina, adds the comment that Powerline should check his local newspaper tomorrow morning and see whether these successes by the Iraqi National Guard have been reported. Then ask himself whether any successful terrorist attack, whether via car bomb, attack on a police station, kidnapping, or whatever, has ever gone unreported in his local paper. Then ask the local paper why half of the story is missing.

With this information in hand I thought that it would be interesting to not only collaborate the story with someone else in Iraq but also see if other 'good news' information was 'out there' today but not being reported by our MSM. Where better to look for such information than the Iraqi blogger Hammorabi? So here are excerpts from today's post by Hammorabi in which is mentioned the arrest of Hatem Al-Zobaai, the leader of the terrorist group responsible for many terrorist attacks in Baghdad and other areas. Also mentioned is that more Iraqis are coming to help the Iraqi forces by providing information about strangers and or strange behaviors in their areas. He gives us as an example the information which resulted in the freeing of two kidnapped Iraqis in Omarah and in the arrest of at least 7 terrorists working under the name of a humanitarian organization.

(...) The Iraqi Ministry of Defence announced that the Iraqi forces arrested Hatem Al-Zobaai the leader of the terrorist group (the Brigade of Thorat Al-Eshreen) which was responsible for many attacks in Baghdad and other areas.

(...) In the last few days there were many attacks against the Iraqi Police and national forces. The latest attack today resulted in at least 25 Iraqi police men killed and many other wounded.

(...) Six Oil wells have been set in fire. Many oil-pipelines and installations have been attacked.

(...) The chain of kidnapping and killing against the Iraqi intellectuals and political leaders continued.

(...) On the same time the Iraqi police in Najaf arrested several suspects some of them are from Saudi Arabia who were arrested with large number of explosives, money and communication instruments.

(...) In Mosel many terrorist were arrested and killed while in Basrah the Iraqi forces for protection of oil pipelines killed one armed man and arrested 3 others most likely belong to Qaeda group.

(...) In spite of threats and intimidations by the terrorist and pro-Saddam groups more Iraqis are coming to help the Iraqi forces by providing information about strangers and or strange behaviours in their areas. The best example is the information which resulted in freeing of two kidnapped Iraqis in Omarah and arresting at least 7 terrorists working under the name of a humanitarian organization. They have been arrested after buying arms and explosives for their groups in Baghdad. The Iraqis need to do much more to clean their areas from the killers and the terrorists. The other factor which may helped a lot is the important documents which have been found in Falluja though there are strong indications that the terrorist groups have changed their plans, codes and tactics since then.

The following account of good news in Iraq is from the article in the Iraqi Arabic newspaper Nahrain that was translated for Powerline . In it the arrest of Hatem Al-Zobaai is also mentioned as are several other different 'good news' items in Iraq today (From a press release by the Iraqi ministry of defense):

1. At 1 am Iraqi National Guard (ING), the Mahmudih division, arrested 217 individuals suspected of being terrorists and confiscated a large cache of light and heavy caliber weapons and ammunition.

2. At 2 am the same ING division arrested Hatem Alzobaae, a suspected terrorist cell leader.

3. At 2:30 am ING in Hillah arrested the terrorist Ali Mehsan Ghnajar. In his possession were 19 grenades, three 28mm mortars.

4. At 4 am, based on a tip that he had returned from Syria, the criminal Ali Latief was arrested by the ING. Four men who are part of his cell were also arrested.

5. At 4 am 10 terrorists were arrested after returning from Mosul by the ING Mahmudiah division.

6. At 4 am ING raided the Hai Alaskari area based on a tip. As a result of the raid the ING arrested 10 terrorists one of which resisted and was wounded and arrested.

7. At 4 am terrorists attacked the Hadbaa police station and were repelled with 2 terrorists killed and their weapons confiscated.

8. At 5 am ING started a security clean sweep of Bab Shams. They confiscated a large number of hand grenades and mortar weapons and rounds.

Haider adds these comments:

I keep seeing more and more of this type of terrorist cleansing activity. What is more interesting is that the Iraqi National Guard is more and more active in these arrests. I have also noticed that more and more actions based on tips are being reported.

Check your local newspaper tomorrow morning and see whether these successes by the Iraqi National Guard have been reported. Then ask yourself whether any successful terrorist attack, whether via car bomb, attack on a police station, kidnapping, or whatever, has ever gone unreported in your local paper. Then ask your local paper why half of the story is missing.

Here we have actually two sets of 'good news' events from Iraq that have been provided from two apparently separate sources. The arrest of the terrorist leader Hatem Al-Zobaai is mentioned by both sources so this is likely to be a widely known event, no secret information here. Both sources comment on multiple arrests of terrorists throughout the country, and one mentions that the freeing of two kidnapped Iraqis in Omarah and the arresting of at least 7 terrorists working under the name of a humanitarian organization. We also hear that more Iraqis are reporting strange behaviors and also reporting on strangers in their area. One would certainly think that one or more of these events is of significant interest to the American public. So let's take up the challenge from Powerline's friend and translator, Haider Ajina, and see how many of all of these 'good news' events actually find their way to the American public tomorow morning via the MSM.

I suspect that the results will be not only interesting but the subject of one or more posts tomorow from either Powerline, Hyscience, or both!

InTheBullPen has more good news on Iraq, the Iraqis seem to be getting excited about the upcoming elections.

Posted by Hyscience at January 2, 2005 7:09 PM

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