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Iraqi Official Interviewed on Arrest of Leader of "Terrorist Group"

Posted on: Saturday, 18 March 2006, 18:00 CST

Al-Arabiya Television at 1917 gmt on 18 March carries the following announcer-read report within its "Panorama" programme:

"An Iraqi police source has announced the arrest of a leader of a terrorist group who killed 400 persons with the help of five people in Jarf al-Sakhr area, 50 km southwest of Baghdad. Capt Muthanna Ahmad, from the Babil Police Command, said that police forces arrested the leader of a terrorist group who killed 400 Shi'is in Al- Musayyib, south of Baghdad, this morning. He said that during a raid of a hideout, a force from Al-Musayyib Police arrested one of the most dangerous terrorists and five others who had helped him in slaying his victims. The source did not announce the names or nationalities of the detainees."

After the report, Al-Arabiya presenter Najwa Qasim interviewed Muhammad al-Askari, adviser to the Iraqi defence minister, via satellite from Baghdad.

Asked about the Ministry of Defence's announcement on the arrest of the assassins of Al-Arabiya correspondent Atwar Bahjat, Al- Askari said that the statements of the minister of defence were "misunderstood". He says the minister said that six persons involved in killing a team belonging to Al-Iraqiyah TV were arrested.

Answering a question about the arrest of the leader of the group accused of killing 400 people, Al-Askari says: "Al-Arabiya is the first TV station to report this. The person is called [name omitted]. He was arrested this evening by the Fourth Battalion of the Iraqi Army. He is the leader of a big gang, which is affiliated with a terrorist group." He notes that [name omitted] confessed to murdering 300-400 people in Al-Latifiyah, south of Baghdad; Al- Yusufiyah; and Abu-Sakhr areas. Al-Askari says that the group certainly includes other members who were not arrested.

Answering a question on whether many similar groups exist in Iraq, Al-Askari says that the ministries of defence and interior have information on these groups and that they seek to track them down.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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