Iraqi Muslim Leader Detained (by US Troops); 20 Killed

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

~snip~

Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, who is Kurdish, expressed "surprise and discontent" on learning of Abdul-Hamid's arrest and called for his immediate release, according to a statement from his office. The statement did not identify who detained Abdul-Hamid.

"The Iraqi president said that no one gave prior notice to the Presidential Council about the arrest of Dr. Mohsen Abdul-Hamid. This way of dealing with such a distinguished political figure is unacceptable," the statement added.

~snip~

"They (U.S troops) raided our house and my son's house, using bullets and stun bombs," Ibrahim told Associated Press Television News. "And they arrested him (her son) and they also detained my husband, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the Iraqi Islamic Party."

The party also released a statement alleging "occupation forces arrested Abdul-Hamid" and that an Arabic translator had assisted in the detention.

[shadowknows69]

1. Oh, you thought you we're really President of Iraq?

Bwah ha ha ha ha ha. FREEDOM ON THE MARCH YEEE HAW!!!

[PDXWoman]

2. Mistake?

Or faulty intelligence.

[u2spirit]

3. Bombers Attack Iraq Police; Up to 30 Dead

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20050530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq



BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two suicide bombers blew themselves up Monday in a crowd of police officers south of Baghdad, killing up to 30 people and wounding dozens, while U.S. forces mistakenly detained a Sunni political leader on the second day of an Iraqi-led security sweep in the capital.



Note- I love the use of the term "mistakenly detained a Sunni leader." Utter horse shit!

[UpInArms]

4. I didn't mean to dupe your post, leftchick

oops!

here's what I found:

Coalition forces detain, release Mr. Muhsin Abdul Hamid

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Releases/May/050530d.htm

BAGHDAD , Iraq – This morning Coalition forces detained and interviewed Muhsin Abdul Hamid. Following the interview it was determined that he was detained by mistake and should be released.

Mr. Hamid is being returned to his home.

Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr. Hamid's cooperation in resolving this matter

...more...

Who is Muhsin Abdul Hamid?

The Sunni leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party

http://martinirepublic.com/item/poll-shows-sistani-sadr-most-popular-iraqi-leaders

June 16, 2004 Poll shows Sistani, Sadr most popular Iraqi leaders

The Poll recently conducted by the State Dept-funded IRCSS is now on the Coalition Provisional Authority's web site. The poll shows the following support for various figures in Iraq:
Quote:
Ali Sistani: 70%
Muqtada al-Sadr 67%
Ibrahim Jaafari 58%
Ahmad al-Kubaisi 55%
Abdul Aziz al-Hakim 51%
Harith al-Dhari 45%
Muhsin Abdul Hamid 45%

...more...

http://www.juancole.com/2004/03/muhsin-abdul-hamid-sunnis-are-majority.html

Sunday, March 14, 2004

Muhsin Abdul Hamid: The Sunnis are the Majority

ash-Sharq al-Awsat: The leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party, Muhsin Abdul Hamid, gave a long interview in Cairo in which he reiterated his allegations that Sunnis have been unfairly "marginalized" in Iraq by the US occupation authorities. He maintains that if you count all Sunni Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, they are the majority of the population (he doesn't seem to know that lots of Turkmen are Shiites or that there are Shiite Faili Kurds). In fact, the country is probably 65% Shiite, 15% Sunni Arab, 15% Kurd, 3% Turkmen, and 2% Christian. Abdul Hamid expresses confidence that a new census and open elections will reveal the Sunni majority. I worry that he and his like may turn to violence when they realize that there is no escaping Shiite demographic and political dominance.

...very short...

I can't say how stupid this mal-administration and it minion are :shakesheadsadly:

[maddezmom]

5. AFP: US troops detain Iraq Sunni leader in error

BAGHDAD (AFP) - US forces admitted an embarrassing mistake when they released Iraqi Sunni leader Mohsen Abdel Hamid after detaining him in error during a morning raid on his home.

The incident sparked a sharp reaction from Iraq's President Jalal Talabani, while the government was also angry about the wrongful arrest of a senior leader at a time when it is bidding to integrate Sunnis into political life.

"This morning coalition forces detained and interviewed Mohsen Abdel Hamid. Following the interview it was determined that he was detained by mistake and should be released," a statement issued by the US military said Monday.

"Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr Hamid's cooperation in resolving this matter."

~snip~
more: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050530/wl_mideast_afp/iraqpoliticssunni_050530161242

[TexasLawyer]

6. This is Big

Here's the story on Islam Online:

US Troops Arrest Senior Sunni Leader


A file photo shows Abdel Hamid after a meeting with Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in Najaf. (Reuters)


By Mazen Ghazi, IOL Correspondent

BAGHDAD, May 30, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – US troops arrested at dawn Monday, May 30, Islamic Party leader Mohsen Abdel Hamid at his house in Baghdad in an unprecedented move that could create seismic waves in already unstable Iraq. Hours later, the US military said the detention was made "by mistake" and released Abdel Hamid, who rejected the US explanation and told Al-Jazeera it was up to the Islamic Party to decide how to respond to the "insult".

"This morning coalition forces detained and interviewed Mohsen Abdel Hamid. Following the interview it was determined that he was detained by mistake and should be released," a statement issued by the US military said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr. Hamids cooperation in resolving this matter."

Islamic Party Secretary General Tariq Al-Hashimi told a press conference that US troops broke into Abdel Hamid’s house, placed a plastic bag over his head, and arrested three of his sons along with five bodyguards. The occupation troops opened fire, injuring one of the bodyguards, he added. “One of the officer told Abdel Hamid through an interpreter: ‘why didn’t participate in the election? This is your fate.’” The Islamic Party, the leading Sunni political party in Iraq , quit the January general elections race days before the voting protesting deteriorating conditions in the country.

Abdel Hamid’s wife told Al-Jazeera news channel the American troops took money, gold jewelry, passports and other valuables. "They wanted to take me along but backtracked when I told them that I suffer from diabetes," she added. Asked whether Iraqi troops were involved, she said they stood outside while the Americans raided the house.

<snip>

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2005-05/30/article04.shtml

[leftchick]

7. Did you see the photos of his home?

This wasn't any stinkin mistake. The US is purposely aggravating the Iraqi people. :grr:



The grandson of Mohsen Abdel Hamid clears the debris after his home was damaged by soldiers who came to arrest the Sunni political leader in the Al-Khadra district of Baghdad. US forces admitted an embarrassing mistake when they released Hamid after detaining him in error during a morning raid on his home.(AFP/Ahmad Al-Rubaye)



The wife of Mohsen Abdul Hamid, who did not give her name, stands in the bedroom of their house in Baghdad's western Khadra district in Iraq Monday, May 30, 2005. U.S. troops detained Mohsen Abdul Hamid, the head of Iraq's largest Sunni Muslim political party - the Iraqi Islamic Party, along with his three sons and four guards, during a dawn house raid according to a top party official and police. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

[UpInArms]

10. it doesn't look like the "apology" is accepted

http://electroniciraq.net/news/1984.shtml

excerpt:

The military statement concerning the matter said, "Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge (Abdul-Hamid's) cooperation in resolving this matter."

Abdul Hamid refused their apology in the Arab media, and stated that he was humiliated when US soldiers held their boots on his head for 20 minutes. It was also stated that he accused American soldiers of removing items from his home, including a computer. This is standard operating procedure with home raids-I can't tell you how many Iraqis I've interviewed after their homes were raided who complained of money, jewelry and other belongings being looted by American soldiers. The Islamic Party released a statement after the release of Abdul Hamid which said, "The U.S. administration claims it is interested in drawing Sunnis into the political process but it seems that their way of doing so is by raids, arrests and violating human rights."

At least 740 Iraqis have been killed since the new "government" took power in late April, and with the ongoing operations sparking more attacks each day, it doesn't look like there is an end in sight. Keep in mind, the vast majority of the Iraqi security forces are either Shia or Kurdish battling against a primarily Sunni resistance (for now). It can easily be argued that we are witnessing a US-backed Iraqi government who is deliberating using its power to wage a civil war.

On that note, today Major General Ahmed al-Barazanchi, a Kurdish man who was the director of internal affairs of Kirkuk province died this morning after being shot yesterday.

My sources in Baghdad also said there have been fierce clashes today in the al-Amiriya district of Baghdad between resistance fighters and Iraqi and US soldiers. "Open gun battles in the streets," as one friend told me, "And as soon as the Iraqi and US soldiers leave the area, the resistance takes it back over."

Keep in mind that all of this is against the backdrop of well over 50% unemployment, horrendous traffic jams, and an infrastructure in shambles that continues to degrade with next to no reconstruction occurring in Baghdad.

...more...

:(

[no_to_war_economy]

8. he has been released, all just a misunderstanding

they just look so alike .....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1380547.htm

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Probably tipped by the same people who gave the WMD info

[UpInArms]

11. related: Iraqi PM orders probe into arrest of Sunni leader

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L3029728.htm

BAGHDAD, May 30 (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has ordered an investigation into the detention of a leading Sunni Arab politician, his spokesman said on Monday, amid fears the arrest could exacerbate sectarian tensions.

<snip>

"We believe there are parties that are benefiting from such raids on prominent Sunni leaders who have been supporting the political process and democracy in Iraq.

"This is the fourth time that a Sunni leader has been arrested," he added, saying he did not think the troops who arrested Abdul-Hamid knew his background.

<snip>

"The presidency was not consulted about this," Talabani said in a statement. "I consider treating a prominent political leader such as Abdul-Hamid in this way unacceptable."

The politician's relatives said U.S. troops broke down the door of the family home and put a bag over Abdul-Hamid's head before taking him away.

...more blasting of US policies in Iraq at link...