Iraqi Official Tied To Militia Jailed

Also, Military Says 13 Insurgents Killed In Air Strike, Locals Say 45 Civilians Dead

(CBS/AP) 
A U.S. military statement did not mention al-Zamili by name but said Iraqi special troops captured a "senior official" suspected of alleged corruption and links to al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia. The Health Ministry is among six Cabinet posts controlled by al-Sadr, an ally of the prime minister.

The statement also alleged the senior official played a role in the deaths of several ministry officials, including the Sunni director of health in Diyala province. The director, Ali al-Mahdawi, vanished last June after coming to Baghdad for a meeting at the ministry.

According to the statement, the official was believed to have siphoned millions of dollars from the ministry to the Mahdi Army "to support sectarian attacks and violence targeting Iraqi citizens."

U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said militiamen were also allowed to use government hospitals and clinics to gather information on Iraqis seeking treatment and "those Iraqis that were discovered to be Sunnis would later be targeted for attacks."

American officials had long complained that al-Sadr's followers were transforming hospitals into bases for the Mahdi militia and were diverting medicine from state clinics to health care facilities run by the cleric's movement.

The clinics helped al-Sadr build a powerful nationwide political movement modeled in part on the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

The arrest is likely to add new strains to al-Maliki's fragile coalition as it embarks on a high-risk campaign to curb violence in Baghdad. Shiite politicians persuaded al-Sadr to pull his militiamen back from the streets in the run-up to the security campaign.

But a series of bombings and suicide attacks on Shiite civilians in Baghdad and the southern city of Hillah has led many Shiites to complain that U.S. and Iraqi forces have not launched the security campaign fast enough to protect them against Sunni extremists.

Nasr al-Rubaie, leader of the Sadrist bloc in parliament, called al-Zamili's arrest a "kidnapping."

Health Minister Ali al-Shemari also denounced the raid.

"This is a violation of Iraq's sovereignty," he said. "They should have a court order to carry out a raid like this."

U.S. officials have insisted that al-Maliki rein in al-Sadr's forces, and the prime minister told the cleric last month that he could no longer provide him with political protection in the face of U.S. pressure, according to al-Maliki's aides.

Curbing the militias is considered key to halting the wave of Sunni-Shiite reprisal killings that surged after last year's bombing of a Shiite shrine in the mostly Sunni city of Samarra.

Despite recent efforts, the violence showed little signs of receding.

At least 104 people were killed or found dead Thursday in Iraq, including at least 10 Sunni men gunned down in the village of Rufayaat, just east of Balad. Balad is a majority Shiite town 50 miles northeast of the Iraqi capital, but it is surrounded by territory that is mainly populated by Sunnis.

In the day's deadliest attack, a parked car bomb exploded at a food market in the predominantly Shiite town of Aziziyah, 35 miles southeast of Baghdad, killing 20 people and wounding 45, police said.

Another parked car bomb tore through a minibus in the mainly Shiite Amin neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad, killing seven passengers and wounding 10, police said.

Also Thursday, the U.S. announced that four U.S. Marines were killed the day before in fighting in Anbar, an insurgent stronghold. At least 3,114 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an AP count.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, meanwhile, said U.S. officials were investigating a Jan. 31 incident involving a civilian helicopter after The New York Times reported that insurgents had brought the chopper down with ground fire during a flight between Hillah and Baghdad in support of State Department operations.

A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information, said the helicopter belonged to the private security firm Blackwater USA. The official said the aircraft did not crash but rather landed and that the people aboard were safely evacuated.

If confirmed, it would be the second Blackwater helicopter and at least the sixth overall to go down in Iraq since Jan. 20, prompting the U.S. military to review flight operations. The most recent crash occurred Wednesday when a CH-46 Sea Knight went down northwest of Baghdad, killing seven people.

[bluestardad]

On the most recent account of corruption CBS News Reported via, KVTV Dallas article that billions of gallons of oil are being stolen because Iraq has no meters in place to gauge how much oil is being produced, pumped, or loaded on to tankers in the gulf. This has been going on now in Iraq for years. How can anyone know how much money or oil has been stolen under the watch of Coalition forces, it makes the United Nations Oil for food scandal pale in comparison. If you combine this blatant theft with the Slant drilling being done by Iraqi%u2019s neighbors there are unaccountable billions of dollars being stolen in Iraq right now. What type of management or leadership has been responsible in Iraq for the last four years? Iraqi and American Dollars by the tons have been sent to Iraq and lost, stolen or squandered. Who has been in charge of this oversite where is the accountability?

[lars008-2009]

We do use books that call Jews 'apes' admits head of Islamic school
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23384657-details/We%20do%20use%20books%20that%20call%20Jews%20'apes'%20admits%20head%20of%20Islamic%20school/article.do?expand=true#StartComments

[lars008-2009]

Terrorism Awareness Project to wake up Americans
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/islamic-mein-kampf

buy yourself a sense of humor you fascist nazi Islamic muslims%u2026
http://www.henryk-broder.de/tagebuch/karikaturisten.html

[scouser691]

He's having Mark Foley dreams

Answer my question singingrick/lars008 - or are you too spineless to respond?

[scouser691]

I was there, midtown

[scouser691]

Goodnight Rick, remember sleep with one eye open, those nasty al qaeda boys are coming whooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaa

[scouser691]

Truth of the matter is Dems are a spineless breed. Also it doesn't hurt that keeping Bush in power gaurantees more tragic f*ck ups and ensure dems success in 08. Why do you think republicans are distancing themselves from Bush.

[scouser691]

Singinrick, this is the point, I don't care how you live your life. It has no bearing on the subject at hand. For all you know I could be a devout christian, who chooses not to wear his religion on his sleeve, maybe like 99% of the people here I like to debate the issues, and not inject my faith into everything

singingrick/lars008:

Tell me this - why are you so cowardly that you allow others to do the fighting for you?

Why is it that you support Bush and his policies, as well as the War on Iraq and the murder of innocent civilians, and yet, you won't go and fight in Iraq?

singinrick wrote:

"Ok mcdazz,

If President Bush has committed so many "crimes" as you say don't you think he would be impeached by now?

There is no crime being committed here and you know it. All you want to do is point fingers at our president, blame him for everything, even though a majority of democrats supported this war going in, including Pelosi, the Clintons, the list goes on and on....

But it's all Bush's fault though right! Every bit of it! This is so childish mcdazz!

Even the MEDIA can't deny this, surprisingly enough!"

singingrick, do you think Saddam Hussein was put on trial as soon as he committed a crime? Hitler? Or any other criminal for that matter?

Bush should not only be impeached, but he should be put on trial in an International War Crimes court.

The fact that this is yet to happen (and most probably won't unfortunately) doesn't detract from the fact that he is responsible for an illegal war (and as we all know, a war based on lies and false "intelligence") and for the deaths of tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.

The democrats could impeach him, if they wanted, but for some reason they are too cowardly to pursue this.

But it doesn't mean that he isn't guilty of crimes.

[scouser691]

Rick I see you don't like your dumb logic when its turned around and fired right back at you

[scouser691]

"Iran hates Bush"
Singinrick

Earth to rick, everybody hates Bush

[scouser691]

You call Mcdazz an athiest because he has never said he believes in Jesus Christ. I have met some fine people who when asked about the subject informed me that they were christian, had I not asked them I probably would have never known. Some people are too busy living their lives as a christian to preach.

[scouser691]

Typical Rick, if you don't stand on a pulpit and ram religion down peoples throat you're not a christian, if you don't drool over Bush, well, you must be a card carrying member of Al queda. In some ways I envy Rick, it must be so much easier going through life without having to think.

[scouser691]

I just love Ricks argumentative reasoning. Rick, I believe you gave oral *** to George Bush. What's my logic, well, you've never denied it.

scouser691 wrote:

"Mcdazz, be fair to rick now, someone has to stay behind in America and spout out mindless ignorant drivel"

lol - so true.

singingrick (aka lars008) wrote:

"Where have you said you believe in Jesus Christ?

All we see on here is your constant bashing of Christians and hatred of those who stand up for God and calling them the liars and hypocrites.

Admit it, you just can't stand that I disagree with you so you resort to slandering and falsifications on this silly message board in an attempt to solidify your stance on things.

Putting a website up as a link on here showing what Muslim terrorists do to OUR INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZENS is NOT spreading hate mcdazz, it's called reminding people of the TRUTH in this sick enemy we are facing in Radical Islam."

Firstly singingrick, please stop making me laugh - it's really hurting.

Secondly, I don't have to say that I believe in Jesus Christ for me to *actually* believe in Jesus Christ.

If you were a true christian, you would know what Jesus has said about that.

Thirdly, I don't bash all christians - only the fake christians - those who twist the words of Jesus for their own cause.

You know all about that singingrick/lars008.

Finally, if you were really a christian, you wouldn't be spreading messages of hatred as you are.

As I said before, you are inciting others to hate, as much as Jesus enemies conspired against him.

You're a fake singingrick/lars008 - a hypocrite, a liar and a fake christian.

Have a nice day. :-)

[scouser691]

But if you love Bush so much, then why aren't you in Iraq taking care of his business?

Mcdazz, be fair to rick now, someone has to stay behind in America and spout out mindless ignorant drivel

singingrick (aka lars008) wrote:

"After we've got the Iraqis, then perhaps we should start with the Bush Administration.
Posted by mcdazz

-This is what you said right mcdazz? Are you denying that you share the same views as the prez of Iran and Hezbollah? You know they would like to see Bush handed over as well right? You do know they teach young children to hate America in Iran right? I hope you're aware of this. If not you need to educate yourself.

Funny you say after "we" are done with the Iraqis. Last time I checked it was the BUSH administration who is nabbing these bad guys. Then you turn around and say we should go after our own president next???"

Oh, singingrick, you are such an incredible idiot - but you do make me laugh (at you, not with you).

Do I share the same views as Iran and Hezbollah?

Not a chance.

Do I think that a Government Administration should be held responsible for their crimes?

Absolutely - that includes the Iraqi Gov, the US Gov, the Iranian Gov, the Israeli Gov, the English Gov etc etc.

You see, singingrick/lars008, unlike you, I refuse to let a Gov walk over me - especially a corrupt and inept Gov like the Bush Administration.

I believe in holding them responsible for their actions, whereas, you apparently appear quite happy to be walked over.

But if you love Bush so much, then why aren't you in Iraq taking care of his business?

I suspect it's because you're all talk and no action - like most cowards are.

Have a nice day singingrick. :-)