Gunmen Who Killed 5 GIs Were Disguised
Gunmen who killed 5 GIs were disguised
from Yahoo.com
By BUSHRA JUHI, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The gunmen who killed five U.S. troops in the Shiite holy city of Karbala wore military uniforms and used vehicles commonly driven by foreign dignitaries - an apparent attempt to impersonate Americans, Iraqi officials said Sunday.
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The local governor said the gunmen stormed into the provincial headquarters building during a U.S.-Iraqi meeting to discuss security measures ahead of the Shiite Ashoura festival.
In Karbala, provincial Gov. Akeel al-Khazaali, who was not at the security meeting, said the SUVs were able to get through a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city, 50 miles south of Baghdad, because police assumed it was a diplomatic convoy and informed headquarters that it was coming.
"The group used percussion bombs and broke into the building, killed five Americans and kidnapped two others, then fled," the governor said, adding that Iraqi troops later found one of the SUVs with three bodies dressed in military uniforms.
The U.S. military, which has said that five U.S. soldiers were killed and three were wounded while repelling the attack, denied that two U.S. troops were kidnapped.
Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesman, said all American forces "were accounted for after the action."
A security official in Karbala, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information to the media, said the convoy of gunmen drove to Babil province after the attack. The Babil police commander confirmed that they entered the region before disappearing.
Although Babil province is predominantly Shiite, some parts of it, just south of Baghdad, are Sunni and insurgents are known to be active there.
The deaths of the U.S. troops, combined with a helicopter crash that killed 12 U.S. soldiers, made Saturday the deadliest day for U.S. forces in two years. It was also the third-highest of any single day since the war began in March 2003, eclipsed only by 37 U.S. deaths on Jan. 26, 2005, and 28 on the third day of the U.S. invasion. U.S. authorities also announced two American combat deaths from Friday.
The heavy toll comes at a critical time of rising congressional opposition to
President Bush's decision to dispatch 21,500 additional soldiers to the conflict to try to curb sectarian slaughter.
The U.S. military statement about the Karbala attack said "an illegally armed militia group" attacked the provincial headquarters building with grenades, small arms and "indirect fire," which usually means mortars or rockets.
"A meeting was taking place at the time of the attack to ensure the security of Shiite pilgrims participating in the Ashoura commemorations," said a statement from Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy commander of the Multi-National Division-Baghdad.
Thousands of Shiite pilgrims are flocking to the city to mark the 10-day Ashoura festival commemorating the death of one of Shiite Islam's most sacred saints, Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Brooks said Iraqi officials and security forces as well as U.S. troops were present at the meeting, but his statement did not mention other casualties from the attack. It said the headquarters had "been secured by coalition and Iraqi security forces."
from Yahoo.com
By BUSHRA JUHI, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The gunmen who killed five U.S. troops in the Shiite holy city of Karbala wore military uniforms and used vehicles commonly driven by foreign dignitaries - an apparent attempt to impersonate Americans, Iraqi officials said Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The local governor said the gunmen stormed into the provincial headquarters building during a U.S.-Iraqi meeting to discuss security measures ahead of the Shiite Ashoura festival.
In Karbala, provincial Gov. Akeel al-Khazaali, who was not at the security meeting, said the SUVs were able to get through a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city, 50 miles south of Baghdad, because police assumed it was a diplomatic convoy and informed headquarters that it was coming.
"The group used percussion bombs and broke into the building, killed five Americans and kidnapped two others, then fled," the governor said, adding that Iraqi troops later found one of the SUVs with three bodies dressed in military uniforms.
The U.S. military, which has said that five U.S. soldiers were killed and three were wounded while repelling the attack, denied that two U.S. troops were kidnapped.
Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesman, said all American forces "were accounted for after the action."
A security official in Karbala, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information to the media, said the convoy of gunmen drove to Babil province after the attack. The Babil police commander confirmed that they entered the region before disappearing.
Although Babil province is predominantly Shiite, some parts of it, just south of Baghdad, are Sunni and insurgents are known to be active there.
The deaths of the U.S. troops, combined with a helicopter crash that killed 12 U.S. soldiers, made Saturday the deadliest day for U.S. forces in two years. It was also the third-highest of any single day since the war began in March 2003, eclipsed only by 37 U.S. deaths on Jan. 26, 2005, and 28 on the third day of the U.S. invasion. U.S. authorities also announced two American combat deaths from Friday.
The heavy toll comes at a critical time of rising congressional opposition to
President Bush's decision to dispatch 21,500 additional soldiers to the conflict to try to curb sectarian slaughter.
The U.S. military statement about the Karbala attack said "an illegally armed militia group" attacked the provincial headquarters building with grenades, small arms and "indirect fire," which usually means mortars or rockets.
"A meeting was taking place at the time of the attack to ensure the security of Shiite pilgrims participating in the Ashoura commemorations," said a statement from Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy commander of the Multi-National Division-Baghdad.
Thousands of Shiite pilgrims are flocking to the city to mark the 10-day Ashoura festival commemorating the death of one of Shiite Islam's most sacred saints, Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Brooks said Iraqi officials and security forces as well as U.S. troops were present at the meeting, but his statement did not mention other casualties from the attack. It said the headquarters had "been secured by coalition and Iraqi security forces."
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This tactic should surprise noone, including the military. Disguises have been used before, remember the mess tent bombing. I hope at least a lesson has been learned, trust absolutely noone that is not American, make sure that everyone knows our men will shoot first, ask questions later, maybe we'll get a few less GIs back in bags.[:(!] If you're gonna be a bear, might as well be a grizzly. 0 -
The Germans had the Brandenburgers way back in WW2 and they were renowned for using disguises. As Dak To said, this shouldn't surprise anyone. 0 -
Don't worry. We have 22,000 more on the way to prevent this kind of thing. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
Don't worry. We have 22,000 more on the way to prevent this kind of thing.
It is called restocking the herd. Don0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dak To 68
trust absolutely noone that is not American,
They were driving vehicles that were disguised as an American convoy. So should they now trust NO ONE, even people they think might be Americans?0
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