Gangsters operate own prisons as kidnapping soars in Iraq (70% of crime)

[ConcernedCanuk]

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Gangsters operate own prisons as kidnapping soars in Iraq

By Patrick Cockburn in Baghdad
15 January 2004


Kidnapping is now the crime of choice among gangsters in Baghdad.

Colonel Feisal Ali, a veteran Baghdad policeman, said: "Criminals who used to steal gold and jewellery now specialise in kidnapping because it is easier and more profitable. Some actually maintain their own private prisons."

Even the very moderately wealthy in Baghdad are terrified that kidnappers will strike at them or their families. They drive their children to school fearing that, otherwise, they will be seized at the school bus stop. Some of the richer businessmen have sent their children out of the country to Jordan or the Gulf.

/snip/

Criminals, many of them released by Saddam Hussein under an amnesty in 2002, realised that the police force had collapsed. He said: "Before the war, kidnapping made up only about 1 per cent of serious crime, but now it is 70 per cent." Even criminals themselves are not safe. Col Ali said he had arrested a man the previous day who confessed to having kidnapped another criminal who had looted a bank during the fall of Baghdad in April. He only released the bank robber in return for $10,000 (£5,400).

/snip/

The campaign against organised crime in Iraq is largely supervised by the US. American military police officers could be seen stomping in and out of police offices at Amariyah. At one moment, a thick American accent could be heard bellowing angrily on the other side of a partition wall, shouting: "Don't you realise we are working our arses off for you!" An Iraqi policeman, giggling slightly, confided later that the relative of a kidnap victim had told the American officer that Iraq was better off under Saddam, precipitating the outburst.


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"told the American officer that Iraq was better off under Saddam"

. . . Seems to be getting a popular opinion over there ?

USA should sit up, take notice, and get the feck OUT !!

Lord knows they ain't trained for peacekeeping !

[rooboy]

1. Some actually maintain their own private prisons....

well you can be sure that Wackenhut and Halliburton won't stand for THAT much longer...

[leftchick]

2. This Just Can NOT Be True...

my TV told me tonight that 80% of Iraq is Secure! :eyes:

[Fridays Child]

3. Here's a link...

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=481314

[JNelson6563]

4. The more I hear about what's going on there

the more it reminds me of a different time and palce of extreme upheaval. Any historians here? Any who know of the time whent he throne of England was up for grabs between Stephen and Matilda? This was right after Henry I. To read the chorinicles from that time and read the stories in the news today, it is easy to see things haven't changed a bit. Chaos and disorder play out the same regardless of what century it is.

Bush is such an asshole. Doesn't anyone in Washington have any clue about history???

Julie