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Conflicting stories
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqis on Monday accused their new leaders of fabricating a hostage crisis for political ends and urged them instead to focus on tackling relentless violence and unemployment after two years of turmoil.
Officials said on Saturday that Sunni Muslim insurgents were holding 150 S h i 'ite hostages in Madaen, about 45 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, and were threatening to kill them unless S h i 'ites left the area.
S h i 'ite caretaker Prime Minister Iyad Allawi vowed to punish the "terrorist" kidnappers he linked with al Qaeda's wing in Iraq. But raids by Iraqi forces backed by U.S. troops have yielded no kidnappers or hostages.
"Do you really think men can just enter a town and take 150 people hostages just like that? Agents of Iran spread these lies," said Dhia Sadiq, a Sunni merchant.
Other comments made clear that Madaen has raised sectarian tensions at a sensitive time.
Others suspected Iran, which was home to Iraqi S h i 'ite exiles during Saddam's rule who are now Iraq's new leaders.
"What do you mean nothing happened? It did," a S h i 'ite policeman with an AK-47 assault rifle told Sadiq and Sunni friends standing near him.
"People kidnapped and slit the throats of many S h i 'ites before. They could definitely kidnap people."
They've done it before, but how long ago?
They could definitely kidnap people, but did they do it this weekend?
I've been reading about the "hostage taking" since Saturday, and read 4 or 5 different versions.
Start of sectarian violence?
Discussion is locked
4 Posts
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........ this will not be the last of these stories, true or not.
IMO, until there is a constitution and permanent government, those that cannot be pleased will disrupt at every turn.
I was pleased to read that the Iraqis -backed up by US forces- did the search.
Regardless of what opinion one holds about the situation there, I am amazed that the Iraqis will join the military or the police, though many have been murdered. They do have guts!
Angeline
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com
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