Reports From Irak August 31 2007 From Arabic Sources
Karbala Aftermath Update Seven — Summary:
- Sharp criticism of the security authorities by Grand Ayatollah Sistani’s representative (see sermon reports)
- Najaf remains under complete curfew.
- There is a very partial lifting of the curfew in Karbala.
- Massive raids underway.
- Ambulance drivers abducted.
Najaf:
Security authorities in Najaf confirmed that a number of senior clergy and their representatives had been moved to Najaf in the interests of their security after they received death threats during the Fighting in Karbala. The security authorities in Najaf and the religious authorities both refused to name the persons who had received protection citing security concerns to WNA’s correspondent.
Abduction Of Ambulance Drivers In Karbala:
It has now been confirmed that a number of ambulance drivers were kidnapped by a group of armed men on Thursday night from the headquarters of the ambulance service car pool in Karbala. Eyewitnesses reported that these gunmen were carrying a list of ambulance drivers. Their fate as yet unknown.
Raids In Karbala Begin:
A massive series of raids started early this morning and is still underway in Karbala and outlying districts against some JAM elements. The Sadrist office in the city have confirmed that among those arrested is one of the directors of the office. (Local reports say that the arrests appear to arbitrary and that several hundred have been detained.) There are reports that in the outlying areas there is fighting as of August 31st we have not been able to verify these.
New Security Chief Statement:
The new security chief in Kerbala confirmed today that 40 people, among them several snipers, have been detained so far in connection with the fighting in Karbala. He sharply criticised his predecessor and the policing in Karbala generally saying that it was characterised by “a lack of seriousness” he also identified several problems with the forces in the city generally including:
- Infiltration by undesirable elements.
- A lack of both ammunition and weaponry.
- Badly trained police.
- Officers were “morally unprepared” many had joined purely for the salary and were unwilling to take any responsibility in the performance of their duties.
He added that he had discussed with Nouri Al Maliki the necessity of reforming and retraining the Kerbala force in its entirety. He went on that he had been responsible for overseeing the security aspects of previous pilgrimages and that the failure to raid known dens of sedition together with a security vacuum caused by a reduction in authorised police time had caused a security vacuum. New bodies may be formed in Baghdad and the governorates to be headed by experienced officers to deal with emergency situations. That the new body in Kerbala would be responsible for explosives detection and that the commission of enquiry to be established would be fully independent. (Editors’ note: He is the commander of the 8th brigade.)
Source: اللواء عثمان الغانمي يؤكد القبض على 40 من المطلوبين من بينهم قناصين في كربلاء
Karbala still under curfew after bloody clashes
By Hadeel al-Jawari and Basel Abdulmajeed Azzaman, August 31, 2007
[snip]
The fighting cut short the celebration and the angry pilgrims returned home without fulfilling any of the rituals required by the occasion.
Maliki and his senior aides including ministers of defense and interior rushed to Karbala but they could almost do nothing despite the heavy presence of Iraqi police, security and army.
Residents say many police officers in the city refused to fight or simply left the scene of clashes. Now Maliki has ordered the expulsion of what he has described as “defeatist elements in the police force who did not shoulder their duties in confronting the gunmen.”
[snip]
Residents and pilgrims give a version of events which runs contrary to that of the government. They speak of popular discontent and anger which many pilgrims vented during the ceremony.
Not only bullets were used in the clashes. Many pilgrims resorted to stones and sticks to attack government-appointed guards of the shrine as well as officials.
The government is in fact not telling the truth about the scale of the clashes, damage and casualties. Some of those involved, who we cannot name for security reasons, described the events as a revolt against the government and its U.S. protectors.
Vehicles were set ablaze and Azzaman correspondents counted at least 15 torched cars among them police vehicles and ambulances.
Three days after the clashes the city was still under curfew with tanks and armored vehicles cordoning off the shrines’ area as thousands of pilgrims conducted a vigil demanding the government to remove its siege.
The correspondents could hear pilgrims shout slogans condemning the central government.
Hospital sources say more than 50 people were killed and at least 300 were injured. The sources said the toll could be higher because ambulances still cannot move freely in areas where the clashes took place.
Read in full (Source: Azzaman in English)
Sermon Reports:
Karbala:
At Friday prayers Grand Ayatollah Sistani’s representative sharply criticised the security services’ handling of the attacks. (Editor’s note: See also: 15 Sha’ban 1428)
In the first public reaction in the reopened Mosque Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Kkarbalai’i accused the previous security authorities in the city of complacency, of having “failed in their duty if not worse” and of having lied to their superiors in the government in Baghdad. He said that they issued assurances that the security situation was under control and that there were thousands of troops and police deployed to protect the mid-Shaban pilgrimage. But that it had become very clear that not only had they failed but that they had lied about their failure to Baghdad. That there had been ample intelligence warning of plots and schemes. Sheikh Abdul Mahdi said that the religious authorities had received intelligence reports warning of a plot to disrupt the mid-Shaban pilgrimage and to attack both the Holy Places and the pilgrims by creating chaos. He held up a large sheaf of papers in his hands high so that the congregation could see them. Saying that they had warned the security authorities confidentially and that any investigations including those of the media would prove this and what they said about this scheme.
He outlined some of the events that the attackers had tried to set fire to the library. That there was rioting and arson outside and that there were many wounded sheltering for protection in the Shrines. Pointing out that the Shrine protection forces had confined themselves to defending the Shrines and those within them and had not taken part in the wider fighting.
He demanded a complete and thorough enquiry into the failings and the events themselves and that the criminals be brought to justice.
Mohammed Ibn Laith
Kufa:
In the Sadrist stronghold of Kufa. During Friday prayers the preacher Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi condemned both those who took part in the fighting and the negligence of the authorities in letting matters come to such a pass. He said also that the decision to stand down the Mahdi Militia was one made from strength and not from weakness. He said that responsibility rested with everyone and that the spectacular events elicit a gasp of horror from the people. He called for those engaged in sedition to be punished irrespective of who they are. And said that the people have lost confidence in the government both local and national. He identified 4 parties reported to be linked to the events:
- Those responsible for guarding the shrines and the area between them.
- The pilgrims themselves.
- The Mahdi Army.
- Those responsible for the security and political aspects of the investigation.
The attackers of the shrines had violated the sanctity and inviolability of the two shrines. The attacks were a fiasco in the greater Jihad and he reminded the Mahdi Army of the duties of patience and obedience. The freeze on the Mahdi Army he said was to contain the crisis before it grew. That it was a sign of strenght and to isolate the guilty parties. That the government should not behave as the previous regime had done by placing the blame where it did not belong for their own ends and called on those conducting the investigations not to use them to settle political scores and personal feuds.
Ali Ibn Hussayn
Reports From Baghdad
Green zone government Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi’s office issued a statement yesterday saying that the first the first batch of detainees will be released next Sunday in the hope of the release of other batches rate of 50 detainees a week. The detainees are being held in detention camps run by the American invaders in Irak. Al Hashemi says that this part of campaign being launched by him to release innocent detainees.
Babil Governorate
The home of an interior ministry police colonel was bombed in al-Hashimiya. The Colonel who is affiliated to SIIC (SCIRI) had previously received death threats and the house was empty. The explosion destroyed it completely.
Basra Governorate
The SCIRI run foundation in Basrah headed by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim’s son came under fire one guard was wounded. (This is the second attack this week.)
Dhi Qar Governorate
Disciplinary action has been approved against green zone government police in Nasiriyah who ”who failed to respond to armed attacks“ in the fighting with JAM in June. Several (including officers) have been dismissed, others compulsorily retired, and some transferred.
Karbala Governorate
see above.
Najaf Governorate
There have been several violent incidents in Najaf:
- The official in charge of deBa’athification survived a bombing attack.
- A civilian was shot in the centre of the city.
- A civilian believed to have once been a Ba’ath party member was shot and seriously wounded.
- A body was discovered shot in the head 7 kilometres north of the city.
Additionally three members of the “Warriors of Heaven” cult have been detained.
Ninawa Governorate
An engineering student in Mosul university was shot dead today for reasons unknown. Also a shop owner opened fire on two armed men who were trying to kidnap him and shot them dead.
Indexed under: Babil (Governorate), Badr Brigade, Baghdad, Bombings, Jaish al-Mahdi, Karbala, Mahdi, Mahdi Army, Militia, Mosul, Najaf, SIIC (Formerly SCIRI), WNA Iraqi News