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US Training of Death Squads in Iraq? - War Is A Crime .org

US Training of Death Squads in Iraq? - War Is A Crime .org

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4719252.stmStory from BBC NEWSPublished: 2006/02/16 13:39:26 GMT<strong>Iraq</strong> 'death squad caught <strong>in</strong> act'<strong>Iraq</strong> has launched an <strong>in</strong>vestigation <strong>in</strong>to claims by the <strong>US</strong> military that an <strong>Iraq</strong>i <strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>istry"death squad" has been target<strong>in</strong>g Sunni Arab <strong>Iraq</strong>is.The probe comes after a <strong>US</strong> general revealed the arrest <strong>of</strong> 22 policemen allegedly on a mission tokill a Sunni."We have found one <strong>of</strong> the death squads. They are part <strong>of</strong> the police force," <strong>US</strong> Maj Gen JosephPeterson said.Sunnis have long accused <strong>Iraq</strong>i forces <strong>of</strong> operat<strong>in</strong>g death squads - but the claims have never beensubstantiated.<strong>Iraq</strong>i deputy <strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>ister Maj Gen Husse<strong>in</strong> Kamal said his m<strong>in</strong>istry had set up an <strong>in</strong>quiry.For a very long time we have been talk<strong>in</strong>g about such violations... that there are squadsthat raid houses and arrest people who are found later executed <strong>in</strong> different parts <strong>of</strong> the capitalNasser al-Ani<strong>Iraq</strong>i <strong>Is</strong>lamic Party"The <strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>ister has formed an <strong>in</strong>vestigation committee to learn more about the Sunniperson and those 22 men, particularly whether they work for the <strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>istry or claim tobelong to the m<strong>in</strong>istry," he told the Associated Press news agency.Hundreds <strong>of</strong> Sunni Arab <strong>Iraq</strong>is have been found dead s<strong>in</strong>ce the 2003 war <strong>in</strong> what appear to havebeen extra-judicial kill<strong>in</strong>gs.On Wednesday, the bodies <strong>of</strong> four unidentified men were found <strong>in</strong> Baghdad's Shia district <strong>of</strong>Shula. They had been handcuffed, bl<strong>in</strong>dfolded and shot <strong>in</strong> the head.<strong>Iraq</strong>i <strong>in</strong>surgents have also <strong>of</strong>ten used a similar tactic aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>Iraq</strong>is work<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>in</strong>ternationalforces or the <strong>Iraq</strong>i government.Deta<strong>in</strong>edGen Peterson, who is <strong>in</strong> charge <strong>of</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the <strong>Iraq</strong>i police, told the Chicago Tribune onWednesday that <strong>US</strong> forces had stumbled across the first evidence <strong>of</strong> death squads with<strong>in</strong> the<strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>istry.The 22 <strong>in</strong>terior m<strong>in</strong>istry traffic policemen, dressed <strong>in</strong> police commando uniforms, were arrested<strong>in</strong> late January at an <strong>Iraq</strong>i army checkpo<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> northern Baghdad and asked what they were do<strong>in</strong>g.112

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