Kurdish Political Leader Killed in Iraq (Al-Queda at work)

AP ^ | Sun, Feb. 9, 2003 | BORZOU DARAGAHI

[InShanghai]

Middle East - AP

Kurdish Political Leader Killed in Iraq 50 minutes ago

By BORZOU DARAGAHI, Associated Press Writer

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq - Gunmen posing as defectors from an Islamic extremist group killed a political leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and two other Kurdish officials, a party commander said Sunday.

The commander blamed the Ansar al-Islam organization for the Saturday night attack on Gen. Shawkat Haji Mushir, a member of the political leadership of the party, which controls the eastern section of the Kurdish autonomous region of northeast Iraq.

Sheik Jaffar Mustafa, party military commander of the town of Halabja, said the three attackers also killed Hekmat Osman, security chief of the Sirwan district, and Sardar Qafoor, military commander of Sirwan district. Three civilians — a man, a woman and a child — were also killed.

Mohamad Tawfiq, security chief of Halabja, was seriously injured, and six civilians and three other Kurdish soldiers also were hurt, he said.

Ansar al-Islam, which the PUK says has ties to the al-Qaida network, was singled out by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) as a terrorist-linked organization during his appearance before the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

Ansar al-Islam opposes the secular government of the Patriotic Union, which has been fighting for two years to drive the extremists from their mountain stronghold on the eastern edge of the Kurdish autonomous zone.

The region, protected by U.S. and British aircraft patrolling a "no-fly" zone, was established by oppressed Kurds in 1991 after the Gulf War (news - web sites).

Mustafa said Mushir, who served as chief intermediary with Ansar, had been expecting to receive an Ansar defector at about 10:20 p.m. when the attack occurred.

The Ansar members tossed grenades and opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles.

In the city of Sulaymaniyah on Sunday, hundreds of mourners gathered at a mosque for Gen. Mushir's funeral and then moved on to a burial service atop a hill in the city.

Women draped in black wept and hit their heads with their hands as a funeral drum beat during the service. Soldiers and businessmen arrived in swarms of vehicles, from SUVs to Mercedes Benzes.

The death of Mushir "was a loss to the nation, he was a loss to peace. May God bring his killers to justice," said Sadi Ahmad Pire, a high-level Patriotic Union official who spoke at the funeral.

Mushir, a founding member of the Patriotic Union in 1976, "was one of the most skillful members of the PUK, both as an organizational man and as a Peshmerga (soldier)," Sheik Mustafa said.

Ansar officials say that some of their members have trained with bin Laden's group in Afghanistan (news - web sites), but they're not under al-Qaida's control.

[InShanghai]

Looks like things are heating up in Northern Iraq... Eventually God will bring his killers to justice, after the 101st is done with 'em.

[Catspaw]

It reminds me of the killing of Massoud (spelling?)in Afghanistan a few days before 9/11.

[dasboot]

Gee, y'mean there are Al Queda in Iraq????

[dasboot]

And they're assassinating Saddam's enemies????

[dasboot]

Can't be: BBC says Brit intel says Powell lied! hehe

[Cynderbean]

My thought exactly ! Massoud was assasinated September 9th 2001.

[Catspaw]

The parallels between the two are unmistakeable. It chills me to the bone.

[Lion's Cub]

fyi

[Cynderbean]

I just reread some of the old articles here on FR about Massoud just to make sure I wasn't suffering from "Alert Fatigue". I think this should be a major heads up for everyone. Too similar to ignore.

[Catspaw]

I don't think this is "Alert Fatigue." Massoud was taken out prior to 9/11 because al Qaeda thought he would lead the war against them after they attacked us. Now a leader of the Kurdish opposition is taken out by al Qaeda. There's a large amount of al Qaeda chatter. We've been warned to be on a higher state of alert because of threats made. I don't think this is a coincidence.

[InShanghai]

Ansar officials say that some of their members have trained with bin Laden's group in Afghanistan, but they're not under al-Qaida's control.

 

Maybe they're just under the influence then...

[InShanghai]

This should be a major "Heads Up". Colin Powell poked that rattle-snake pit and now it's starting to rattle.

If it were up to the French-Cheezies or the German- Saurkrauts we'll have to wait until we're sure those rattlers' are poisonous!

FRY 'EM NOW!

[aristeides]

Have Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda decided that it's no longer expedient to conceal their relationship?

[mewzilla]

Paging Sen. Levin...

[FreeAtlanta]

Hammer hits nail.

The same thing happened when all the libs were yelling "show me the evidence that Osama Bin Laddin was behind 911!" And, of course, he lied and denied through his teeth that he had any responsibilty. Then after we invaded, he starts bragging about how he trained and supplied the 911 hi-jackales.

The similarities are chilling. The world's "Ostrich Brigades" are as dangerous as the actual murderers.

[maica]

ping

[piasa]

fyi

[jerri]

"It reminds me of the killing of Massoud (spelling?)in Afghanistan a few days before 9/11."


That's what I was thinking.

[Howlin]

This sounds like an Al-Quada MO to me.

[a_Turk]

Give them independence and see how long they last...

If EU states can be gullable enough to think that harboring terrorists can benefit their own agenda, then isn't it a given that these guys would do the same?

If they are such good friends of the US, then how is it they allow militant islamic organizations to be based there?

Did the Kurdish leadership think that these terrorists were a weapon for them to wield against Saddam, against me, against you? Terrorist entities are far too chaotic to be wielded as reliable instruments. Few know this, many would still gamble their nation's existance on a "what if it works for us?"