Posted on 06/09/2006 2:20:42 AM PDT by LibertyRocks
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen kidnapped a senior official of Iraq's oil ministry after he left work in Baghdad on Thursday, police and ministry sources said on Friday, highlighting the lawlessness still afflicting the vital sector.
The incident happened the same day U.S. troops killed Iraq's al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose demise the Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said would help improve the country's oil production, particularly in the north.
The sources said Muthana al-Badri, Director General of Iraq's State Company for Oil Projects (SCOP), was on his way home in the Sunni district of Adhamiya when gunmen in four cars stopped his car and abducted him but set his driver free.
They said the kidnappers have not contacted the ministry or Badri's family.
The kidnapping highlights the challenges and dangers which Iraq's oil sector, hampered by violence and political wrangling, face.
"The death of Zarqawi will lead to the reduction in the level of violence and terrorist attacks and this will definitely help to improve our production, particularly from the northern fields and exports," Shahristani told Reuters in an interview in Istanbul on Thursday.
Badri, who the sources said is in his 60's, has always worked for SCOP. He became head of the company after Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003. Oil Ministry sources described him as a "professional and energetic."
"We call him the son of SCOP because he spent his life there," said an oil industry official.
SCOP is in charge of the oil projects for the ministry such as building new refineries and pipelines.
Iraq, which sits on the world's third largest oil reserves, has been struggling to produce 2 million barrels per day, down from nearly 3 million bpd before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Insurgents in Iraq have repeatedly sabotaged oil facilities in the north to hampered efforts to boost crude oil exports, the main source of government revenue. Exports in May were around 1.5 million bpd, according to shipping sources.
Exports from the north are on hold due to sabotage which has so devastated infrastructure there that oil exports from the giant Kirkuk field are unlikely to resume until early next year.
Thought you might be interested in this news. I hope you all are well. (o:
- LR
Thank you Liberty Rocks.
Yep, I'm interested in this.
All is well here.
How are you?
Look for the Usual Suspects to jump on this story, as they try to get back into Iraq Is A Quagmire mode.
You're most welcome. I'm doing well Cindy, thank you. Still getting caught up after being sidelined for a few months with computer problems, but very happy to be back online now.
Well great!
Glad you're back.
Of course I've heard of the bible codes, but not the Hebrew Gematria. That is really fascinating. Thank you for sharing it. What a coincidence, eh? (o:
To get another 2 MILLION barrels of oil on the world market, which would collapse oil to $50 a barrel, they should put about 25,000 of those 260,000 Iraqi army regulars on guard duty!
What does this statement mean? How can a code be dated?
No, no, it's civil war! (massive sarcasm alert)
Good story, but Zarqawi wasn't his real name.
Great, there goes the price of crude again...
Hey, what do I know about this? It was forwarded to me in email. I filed it between the Nigerian investment newsletter and the plans for a 500 mpg carburetor.
Oh, it is good to see you posting again, I missed you.
You are needed on the schools, I can't keep up with them.
I have been posting them here, please join us:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1607641/posts?q=1&&page=4401
Our hodge podge of the world's daily terror efforts, of all kinds, including the muslim, but not only muslim.
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