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Busload of bodies found from Saddam massacre, says Allawi
guardian.co.uk ^ | September 21, 2004 | Staff reporter and Luke Harding

Posted on 09/24/2004 3:16:49 PM PDT by notkerry

"We underestimated the scale of what happened in Iraq at that time," he said. "So far we have discovered 262 mass graves, with tens of thousands of people. It's unbelievably shocking - truckloads, busloads of people buried."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: hilla; iraq; massgraves; saddam
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The remains of an entire busload of people, including women and children, have been discovered near Hilla, Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, claimed yesterday.

The interim government was continuing to uncover many atrocities committed during Saddam Hussein's rule, he told editors in London.

"We underestimated the scale of what happened in Iraq at that time," he said. "So far we have discovered 262 mass graves, with tens of thousands of people. It's unbelievably shocking - truckloads, busloads of people buried."

There had been a recent discovery of a busload of people buried alive at Hilla, an hour's drive south of Baghdad. "Men, women and children - they were still sitting in their seats," he said. "Innocent people who rejected Saddam and his rule."

Later yesterday, it emerged that Mr Allawi had told an Arab newspaper that a broken and depressed Saddam Hussein had appealed to him for mercy, saying his regime had meant no harm during the former dictator's years running the country.

"Saddam sent me a verbal message asking for mercy," Mr Allawi said in an interview published yesterday in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat. "He said they were working for the general good and they didn't aim to harm."

Mr Allawi said the message was carried by a member of his current government. "My answer was these are things the court will determine," he was quoted as saying.

Hilla was the site of one of the worst massacres to take place under SaddamHussein's rule. After the first Gulf war in 1991, thousands of Shias and Kurds rose up against Saddam, expecting the arrival of US forces. A mass grave at Hilla was found last year to contain the bodies of about 3,000 Shia who were rounded up and killed by Iraqi forces for allegedly taking part in the revolt.

The few witnesses who escaped the massacre confirm that minibuses full of Shias were driven into trenches. Ba'ath party loyalists then shot dead the passengers, before diggers buried the evidence.

Journalists who went to the scene discovered hundreds of mummified bodies, including those of women clutching babies. The watch on one exhumed corpse was still ticking, more than 10 years later.

The massacre was one of Saddam's worst atrocities and has been known about for some time. It is one of the in dictments in his forthcoming trial. Mr Allawi has recently said that he wants to hold Saddam's trial before elections set for January in an apparent attempt to focus attention on Saddam's crimes and away from Iraq's insurgency.

Evidence of Saddam looting more than a billion dollars from Iraq's central bank was still being uncovered, Mr Allawi said. "Whatever we thought we knew, what was portrayed in the media, was nothing compared with what we saw with our own eyes when we came into Baghdad."

Mr Allawi said there was evidence of "linkages" with terrorists, including Carlos the Jackal and Ansar al-Islam, an Islamist group in northern Iraq accused by the US of providing a safe haven for al-Qaida. "I am surprised when I hear people talk about whether the war was justified. If Saddam had had his way he would have turned the whole region into hell."

1 posted on 09/24/2004 3:16:49 PM PDT by notkerry
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To: notkerry

Bump.


2 posted on 09/24/2004 3:19:06 PM PDT by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Right makes right!)
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To: notkerry
"We underestimated the scale of what happened in Iraq at that time," he said. "So far we have discovered 262 mass graves, with tens of thousands of people. It's unbelievably shocking - truckloads, busloads of people buried."

Waiting for John Kerry to hold a press conference and call Allawi a liar.

Just wait...it'll come.

3 posted on 09/24/2004 3:23:05 PM PDT by Prime Choice (It is dangerous to be right when wicked is called 'good.')
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To: notkerry

And Saddam asks for mercy!

Amazing.

It's hard to determine what method of death would be evil enough for him as punishment. A thought is slicing his throat slowly over a couple of days ... chopping off limbs, one by one - mayne his toungue first ... .


4 posted on 09/24/2004 3:25:11 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: notkerry
But what about the idyllic, kite-flying Iraq that Michael Moore told me about????
5 posted on 09/24/2004 3:25:56 PM PDT by atomicpossum (If there are two Americas, John Edwards isn't qualified to lead either of them.©)
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To: notkerry

Mercy for Saddam means he will die quickly, instead of feet first in a shredder.


6 posted on 09/24/2004 3:27:45 PM PDT by spodefly (A bunny-slippered operative in the Vast Right-Wing Pajama Party.)
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To: notkerry

Were these remarks made to the UN? I wish Allawi wouldn't give the UN the opportunity to pretend it gives a rat's behind.


7 posted on 09/24/2004 3:28:35 PM PDT by Spok
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To: Searching4Justice

Journalists find out that Saddam was a bad guy.....News at 11!!! LMAO!


8 posted on 09/24/2004 3:29:20 PM PDT by BossLady (Member of the Pajama Jihad Conspiracy.......)
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To: Alberta's Child

Here's your boy, Saddam.


9 posted on 09/24/2004 3:30:53 PM PDT by sinkspur ("John Kerry's gonna win on his juices. "--Cardinal Fanfani)
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To: GOP_1900AD

And Kerry would have left him in power.


10 posted on 09/24/2004 3:30:59 PM PDT by Reagan is King (The modern definition of 'racist' is someone who is winning an argument with a liberal.)
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To: notkerry
"...Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, claimed yesterday.."

Gee, I don't s'pose the writer of this carefully chosen word spews his pap from the left, huh? The Kerry Ferries will be so pleased...

11 posted on 09/24/2004 3:34:35 PM PDT by Husker8877
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To: notkerry
The watch on one exhumed corpse was still ticking, more than 10 years later.

Still ticking or would still run?

12 posted on 09/24/2004 3:34:58 PM PDT by luvbach1 (Let US commanders run the war on terror in iraq,)
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To: notkerry

But he's just a puppet of President Bush, so he's obviously making this all up. </sarcasm>


13 posted on 09/24/2004 3:36:11 PM PDT by dfwgator (It's sad that the news media treats Michael Jackson better than our military.)
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To: notkerry
I have a hunch that a firing squad will be the method of choice because its military connotation might make it the most "acceptable" to Saddam, preserving his dignity. I envision him being allowed to wear his uniform. That might be the court's sole "concession" to the butcher.To gain maximum world approval of the execution I don't think any prolonged execution or one involving torture will be chosen. That's why I believe hanging will be ruled out.Whatever the method used, he will be just as dead after it.
14 posted on 09/24/2004 3:42:15 PM PDT by luvbach1 (Let US commanders run the war on terror in iraq,)
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To: nmh

re: "It's hard to determine what method of death would be evil enough for him as punishment"

What ever death you provide for this man it will be nothing compared to the torment he will experience for eternity. There is nothing we can do to him on this earth that even approaches what awaits him. Any slow methods we use to exterminate him will only delay his arrival at the real place of punishment and condemnation. Let God deal with this miscreant, He's much better at that sort of thing that we would be.


15 posted on 09/24/2004 3:49:58 PM PDT by jwpjr
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To: notkerry
Crosslinked:

-When the Dungeon Doors Swing Open...--

16 posted on 09/24/2004 4:52:08 PM PDT by backhoe (Just an old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the Trackball into the Dawn of Information...)
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To: notkerry
"I am surprised when I hear people talk about whether the war was justified. If Saddam had had his way he would have turned the whole region into hell."

And sKerry wants us to believe that GW went after saddam to revenge his Bush 41. sKerry is mentally disturbed.

17 posted on 09/24/2004 8:33:31 PM PDT by GailA ( hanoi john, I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, before I impose a moratorium on it.)
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To: notkerry

You won't see this in OUR press, they are to busy covering for sKerry. Something this grusome, like the Breslan school will not be reported in our press...it would makes sKerry sound stupid.


18 posted on 09/24/2004 8:36:25 PM PDT by GailA ( hanoi john, I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, before I impose a moratorium on it.)
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To: zip

ping


19 posted on 09/24/2004 9:21:37 PM PDT by Mrs Zip
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To: backhoe

Thanks!!! That thread is bookmarked!!!!


20 posted on 09/24/2004 9:29:50 PM PDT by gortklattu (check out thotline dot com)
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