Iraqi Official Blames Half of Attacks on “Takfiris” Infiltrating From Syria
Iraqi TV station Al-Iraqiyah TV at 1734 gmt on 3 February carries the following announcer-read report: “Shaykh Khalid al-Atiyah, first deputy speaker of the Council of Representatives, has wondered how Syrian President Bashar al-Asad can receive Shaykh Harith al-Dari, chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, indicating that this does not fall in line with the pledges the Syrian Government has made to Iraq.
“For his part, Shirwan al-Wa’ili, minister of state for national security affairs, has expressed hope that the agreements signed between Iraq and Syria will be implemented in the interest of the Iraqi people.”
This is followed by an announcer-read report over video by Al- Iraqiyah TV correspondent Razzaq al-Uqayli, highlighting the “recent Syrian measures taken against the Iraqis living in Damascus.” Al- Wa’ili is shown saying: “As a matter of fact, we were surprised that the Iraqis [visiting Syria] are only given 15 days of residency.” He adds that only a small number of Iraqis go to Syria on picnic, saying that most of them go there to live and settle there. He goes on to say: “We in Iraq do not see these measures as signs of good faith.”
Al-Wa’ili denies that agreements were signed between Iraq and Syria according to which the Iraqis heading for Syria or living there will be harassed. He adds that the agreements Iraq signed with Syria concern those wanted by the judiciary in Iraq, the exchange of valuable information to combat terrorism, and the border outlets.
In conclusion, Al-Uqayli says: “The recent measures Syria has taken against the Iraqis living there might have had some impact on the bilateral ties, which were expected to experience greater enhancement and cooperation following President Talabani’s visit to Damascus. Nonetheless, this impact will remain guesswork, particularly since we learned that a government delegation will visit the Syrian capital, Damascus, in the coming days to discuss this issue.”
Then, Iraqi Government Spokesman Dr Ali al-Dabbagh, in Baghdad, is interviewed via satellite by an unidentified anchorman, in the Al- Iraqiyah TV studios.
When asked for his assessment of Iraqi-Syrian ties at present, Al- Dabbagh says: “As a matter of fact, I cannot hide my feelings today. Today is a sad, heavy, and painful day for us in Iraq. We want to address some Syrian officials who uphold resistance, resistance to the occupiers, telling them that this [he refers to the car bombing in Al-Sadriyah in Baghdad on 3 February which claimed the lives of more than 100 Iraqis] is a sample of the people sent to us in Iraq by our Arab brothers to slay these poor people who seek to make a living to feed their families. This is a sample of the gifts sent us by our Arab brothers. We want Syrian officials to listen to this, given their support for the so-called resistance. As a matter of fact, we judge the measures the Syrian officials have taken as arbitrary. They confuse our Iraqi brothers, those living in Iraq, and the Iraqis visiting Syria. High-level contacts are currently under way. Now, the Iraqi Government will propose some measures to the Syrian Government to help the Syrians [preceding word as heard].” Al-Dabbagh says that the Syrian authorities should see the suffering that these “arbitrary measures” will cause Iraqis to experience.
Elaborating on this issue, Al-Dabbagh says: “As a matter of fact, we in Iraq, at the highest levels, are greatly indignant with the Syrian position. Before you started the interview with me, the president expressed his indignation to me. The prime minister has also expressed his indignation. We told the brothers in Syria that we in Iraq view these messages sent by the Syrian brothers as measures that do not live up to the undertakings that they have made, that they do not live up to the statements that they have made, and that they do not live up to the good spirit and good faith they have demonstrated regarding normalizing the ties and the establishment of the strongest of ties with Iraq.”
Further on Iraq’s Syria ties, Al-Dabbagh says: “The air route [with Syria] is scheduled to be opened tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. This has been confirmed by Syrian officials. I hope that they will fulfil these promises. Of course, this will not solve the problem. The key problem lies in the issue of expelling those coming to Syria. They are being offered only 15 days of residency.”
Al-Dabbagh hopes that the “sound of reason” in Syria will prevail. He adds: “Permit me to say that there is a group within the Syrian leadership which supports Saddamists and terrorist groups. We call upon the Syrian brothers to articulate a frank stand, as they did when they met President Jalal Talabani, and as the [Syrian] foreign minister did when he visited us in Iraq.”
Al-Dabbagh notes that the Syrian leadership should not take measures that could adversely affect “thousands of Iraqis who fled Iraq due to abnormal situations here in Iraq.” He says that the Syrian officials should take this issue into account, and should refrain from aggravating the Iraqis’ agonies.
Al-Dabbagh goes on to say: “The same holds true for Jordan. We do not want our Iraqi brothers who visit these countries to suffer arbitrary, inappropriate, and degrading measures. We want to see them respected, and to be shown the signs of good neighbourliness, brotherhood, and fraternity.”
When asked about the prospects of Syria extraditing “wanted” Iraqis to Iraq, Al-Dabbagh says: “The brothers in Syria have reiterated that Syria will not be a launch pad for these murderers – for the murderers who are now in Syria – where they could provide all kinds of support for the terrorist groups operating in Iraq. The brothers in Syria have made an undertaking in this regard. Measures are being taken [in this regard]. Once again, we wager on the assumption that our Syrian brothers are making efforts to further promote the ties. A promotion of the Iraqi-Syrian ties is contingent upon the actions [of the Syrian officials]. Words should be translated into deeds. It is our hope that there will be practical steps. We expect that there will be practical steps. This is what President Bashar al-Asad has accustomed us to doing. This is what the brothers have accustomed us to doing – the brothers who have consistently sought to achieve good ties with Iraq.
“With regard to the extradition of wanted people, every person who hurts Iraqis should not be given shelter by any Arab state. We are receiving death messages. We hope [changes thought] it is against Iraq’s code of ethics to send similar messages. Saddam practiced this. But we in Iraq now do not practice such methods, which are easy to pursue and implement; any state can practice such methods. But such behaviour does not befit Iraq’s code of ethics. Such behaviour does not fall in harmony with the Iraqis’ code of ethics, or with the code of ethics embraced by political elites. This is because we do not seek to hurt others; in the same vein, we do not want others to hurt us. This is only a sample. Once again, I would like to say that 50 per cent of what we are now seeing in Baghdad’s streets comes from Syria. I confirm that 50 per cent of these killings, of these car bombings, of the number of the takfiris who come to Iraq infiltrate across the Syrian borders. We say this, and we have what corroborates this. We showed the evidence to our Syrian brothers. Nonetheless, we would like to say to all Arabs that all those whom you call mujahidin, and who infiltrate across the Syrian borders, are killing this oppressed people in this [words indistinct].”
When asked about the bombing that took place in the Al-Sadriyah area in Baghdad today, Al-Dabbagh says: “I would say that there is a shortcoming for which all security services should be held accountable. The Council of Representatives should hold the security services accountable. It should play its role. Before that, these services should be held accountable by the government. I followed the [TV] report [on the incident], and I know how it is painful and saddening to see these limbs flying in the air. The issue of the cars, and the cars’ license plates needs to be addressed. This is definitely a shortcoming for which the Ministry of Interior is to blame.” Al-Dabbagh says that these killings are targeted against all people, against Sunnis and Shi’is, which requires all to shoulder their responsibilities.
When asked on whether or not a date has been set for the start of the implementation of the Baghdad security plan, Al-Dabbagh says that the date for the start of the implementation of the plan is approaching. He adds that an effort is under way to develop the appropriate “mechanism.”
Al-Dabbagh goes on to say: “The plan is there. The deployment of the army will be carried out on a specific date that will be announced at the Council of Representatives. The prime minister will announce this date. The Baghdad security commander will appear before the Council of Representatives and announce this, detailing relevant practical measures to the people. He will ask people, the residents of Baghdad, to show cooperation. I think that the mechanisms are being developed. This is because the Baghdad security plan was started last summer. Now, its mechanisms are being developed. The number of the [military] personnel, and the strength of the joint police-army forces will be increased. Now that these new mechanisms are in place, God willing, the date for starting the implementation of the plan is approaching. God willing, we believe in God Almighty, and also in the people’s ability to cope with this ordeal, with this pain, with this bloodshed, and with this sadness which is now enveloping us all.”
(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.