ZEYDUN (UPDATE)

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UPDATE: Zeyad (Healing Iraq) posted on this at 3:13am.

UPDATE: Accountability, Justice, and Truth: We may wish it wasn’t so—that this had never happened; but, wishes are not Truth. Now, there is Accountability and it will be followed by Justice. Lies are easy. Truth takes more time to discover. (But, we found a Truth along the way: Bloggers can make a difference!)

My sincere hope that Accountability, Justice, and Truth may bring some measure of peace to Zeydun’s family and friends.

Thank you, Zeyad. You kept our focus on *looking for the Truth*!
Max Lane | Email | Homepage | 07.03.04 - 11:13 am |

CAR-BOMB FACTORY

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Troops find car-bomb production site

Seattle Times

BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. soldiers discovered a car-bomb production site and detained 51 people for questioning during a search for illegal weapons in Baghdad, the military said early today.

Soldiers found a site with four vehicles that were apparently being modified for use in bomb attacks, while searches elsewhere netted rocket-propelled grenade launchers and explosives designed to be used in roadside attacks.

Soldiers also found more than 12 million Iraqi dinars ($8,275) at the car-bomb production site, along with AK-47 rifles, ammunition, timers and computer boards. Three people there were detained. At other locations, U.S. troops detained 48 suspects and found more weapons.

2 ARAB STATES OFFER

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2 Arab states offer military help for Iraq

Arizona Republic

(…)However, Iraq's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying that the Baghdad government was likely to oppose the offer from Jordan because of Iraq's declared opposition to accepting troops from any of its immediate neighbors.

It was unclear how Iraq would respond to the offer from Yemen, which does not border Iraq.

"Yemen would be willing to play any role that the Iraqi people and the United Nations want it to play," said Yemen's ambassador to the United States, Abdulwahab Hajjri. If the Iraqis want Yemen to contribute peacekeeping troops, "we can help," he said.

(…)On Thursday, King Abdullah of Jordan said his country was willing to send troops to Iraq if the interim government there requested them. He previously had expressed reluctance to offer to send troops to Iraq, but indicated he had changed his mind because the region could not afford to see the Iraqi government fail.

[Comment: India has not come forward; (IIRC) they had agreed to send troops if a UN Resolution was passed. Was the Resolution not worded properly? Why not India?]

ZEYDUN (THE INCIDENT?)

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FOX

Three GIs Charged in Iraqi's Death
Friday, July 02, 2004

DENVER — Three U.S. soldiers have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the drowning of an Iraqi detainee who was shoved off a bridge near Baghdad in January, the military said Friday.
A fourth soldier faces charges for allegedly pushing a second Iraqi into the same river, the Tigris, in the city of Samarra. That man survived.

Both Iraqis were civilians who had been detained for a curfew violation, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington said. He said the four soldiers, all from Fort Carson (search), were on patrol at the time. All have since returned to the Colorado post.

Sgt. 1st Class Tracy E. Perkins, 33, and 1st Lt. Jack M. Saville, 24, are charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, according to a summary of the charges released by the Army. Sgt. Reggie Martinez, 24, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and Spc. Terry Bowman, 21, is charged with assault. All are charged with making false statements.

[NOTE: This appears to include information about Zeyad's relative.]

UPDATE: CNN Headline News carried the story but said the soldiers were from Ft. Hood

ON THE SCENE

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(That’s how it felt.) I was playing “remote roulette” (a game of channel changing at high speed :)) when CNN reported a bombing in Baghdad close to “Paradise Square” (Firdos Square.)

At the speed of light, I check my bookmarked “Fox live link” camera. Wow, I was in--on the scene. Smoke was billowing everywhere. You couldn’t tell if a hotel had been hit, or a car bomb went off in the street.

The news wasn’t covering the incident; I was stuck. If I closed the window, it might not let me back in. Finally, I minimized that browser and opened another one. No injuries—good! Apparently, it was a bus bomb.

It took an hour to pry myself away from it.


I bookmarked the camera site because the first time visiting the scene was beautiful. You could only imagine how it would be at sunrise, or sunset. I’ve watched a few of these scenes and they are incredible.

Okay, here it is:

Fox Live Camera

(This may mean I’ll never get in, again; but, it’s a sight to see and share.)

THE POLITICAL

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BI-PARTISAN: when both parties get together claiming temporary neutrality; lack of political bias; they are Americans solving the problems sans politics. [LOL]

It’s the new TROJAN HORSE—Democrats and Republicans inside red and blue equines. Close your eyes; you can tell the difference. You can determine from which side of the aisle the horse has come.

They don’t fool US. We are looking at the Trojan Horses dressed in the “Emperor’s New Clothes,” sporting the Cheshire Cat Grins, carrying the signs “America First” with the small print “after my party.”

I’d send “Mr. Smith” to Washington, if I could find him. Unfortunately, he saw the movie Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, too.

He’s hiding. No one can find him. It’s easy to understand.

WMD EXTRAS

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OR NOT?{SEE UPDATE)

(via Command Post)

Interview

Questions to Rumsfeld (during radio interview with Roger Hedgecock KOGO)

Q (…)I’m reading recent reports in fairly easily accessible published accounts that Syria is holding the weapons of mass destruction or some of them, that others were destroyed, that others might still be hidden in Iraq, etcetera. What is the status on WMD? And if Syria is holding any of them and you guys know about it, how come we haven’t heard about it?

SEC. RUMSFELD: Well, let me respond this way. The decision to go to war was a concern on the part of, first, the president, then the Congress of the United States and ultimately the United Nations that Saddam Hussein had had weapons of mass destruction, had used them on his neighbors in Iran and had used them on his own people in Iraq – chemical weapons – that he was known to have various other WMD programs and that he was required by the United Nations over a period of some 17 resolutions to file a declaration declaring what he had. And everyone agreed he had filed a fraudulent declaration as to what weapons of mass destruction he had. The debate as to whether to go to war was not whether or not he’d filed a fraudulent declaration. Everyone agreed to that. The only question was should you give him another chance, should you wait and go 18 resolutions or 19 resolutions, another five years or however many.

Now what’s actually happened? Right now you have the Iraqi Survey Group, which is a multinational group that’s out there reviewing documentation and looking at suspect WMD sites. I was with the Polish minister of defense this weekend in Istanbul, Turkey at the NATO Summit. And in the course of that, he pointed out that his troops in Iraq had recently come across – I’ve forgotten the number, but something like 16 or 17 – warheads that contained sarin and mustard gas.

Now these are weapons that we always knew Saddam Hussein had that he had not declared and they have tested them and I have not seen them and I have not tested them, but they believe that they are correct that these, in fact, were undeclared chemical weapons -- sarin and mustard gas -- quite lethal and that is a discovery that just occurred within the last period of days. If you think about -- most people remember the image of where Saddam Hussein was captured in that hole -- that pit that he was living in. That pit, that hole in the ground was probably big enough to hold chemical and biological weapons sufficient to kill tens of thousands of people. And therefore, it is not hard to hide things in a country the size of California. It’s quite easy to hide things. In fact, we finally found a bunch of jet aircraft that they’ve buried underground.

In answer to your question on Syria, there have been a lot of intelligence speculation and rumors and chatter about the fact that Saddam Hussein may have placed some of his weapons of mass destruction in Syria prior to the start of the war. Until that can be validated and proved, you’ll find people in the administration not talking about it.

[Note: There are rumors that Iraq Survey Group has found more shells (containing mustard and sarin)—supposedly found by the Polish.]

Then, I found this:

Polish Army Says Iraq Shells Had Deadly Cyclosarin

Reuters

There were 17 shells found. They are not recently manufactured; probably from the ‘80s. Just a few more of the “destroyed” (which were not destroyed) WMD; they were old, but still dangerous.

UPDATE:

Seattle Times

The Coalition Press Information Center in Baghdad, Iraq, said in a statement that the 122-mm rocket rounds, which initially showed traces of sarin, "were all empty and tested negative for any type of chemicals."

The release also said that two other 122-mm rounds, found June 16 by the Poles, had tested positive for small quantities of sarin but were "so deteriorated ... (as) to have limited to no impact if used by insurgents against coalition forces."

COURT CONFUSION

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(Update 1, 2, 3, below)
Legal custody of Saddam Hussein and 11 others was transferred to Iraq on Wednesday. Thursday was Saddam’s first court appearance. First reports indicate that there was no microphone is the court; after which, we can hear the voices. Faces of individuals were not to be shown; at least one face was shown. This is the beginning of the trial of O.J. Saddam, with all the trimmings and decorations; with all the diversions and dancing.

The Judge read 7 charges:
1. Gassing of Kurds—Halabja;
2. Brazani Family Killings—1983;
3. Intentional killings of Party Leaders (political;)
4. Intentional killings of Religious Leaders;
5. Anfal—amnesty for Kurds who came forward; they were killed;
6. 1991 Shi’ite Uprising—killing of thousands;
7. Invasion of Kuwait.

Supposedly, Saddam said that he had heard about Halabja and mentions the Kuwaiti “Dogs.” He wants his lawyer. Trial under what legal system? (And, it doesn’t matter,) Bush did it all. Won’t sign anything; and. . . I have done nuth…thing; nuth…thing.

I am the ELECTED PRESIDENT.

[Well, don’t worry. We have the makings for another Michael Moore Manure-film. Moore should be there soon to start the shoveling process for moore manure millions.]

UPDATE #1:
REPORTER CONFUSION—Reporters saw many things while viewing Saddam Hussein. Some saw Saddam as disoriented, confused, shrunken. Others saw irritation, anger, and defiance. They are trying to figure out what they did see—at least one opinion per reporter.

(Opinion: ) I saw a quarterback in a losing season; one last game to play. He hasn’t lost hope; he still has plays (in or out of the playbook.) He’s convinced the game isn’t over, yet. And. . .he thinks he has the ball.

UPDATE #2:
A DEFENSE?--Saddam may claim that as the President of Iraq he was immune from prosecution. Apparently, Saddam passed a law that he was the law. He may have passed a law protecting his regime (giving themselves immunity); therefore, claiming he was within the law and also immune—he believes he would be freed. Saddam asked what law he would be tried under, would it be “his law?”

Usually under Saddam’s Law, after the name is called the criminal is removed to the backyard and shot…dead. Some people received the short-cut—skip the name procedure and go directly to the shot. . .dead.

UPDATE #3:
[Via Jason (Comments section GM’s Land of the Pharoah—link at right)]

The Judge--Courageous Man!

NY Times

"We need to build our country, of course, and to do that there will be victims," he said in an interview after the court hearing. "If I am going to be among them, I accept it. The most important thing is that we build a country based on justice. There can be no future for us without law."

THE U.N. FAMILY

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by C.Rosett

The story of a dysfunctional family. (Sopranos?)

First, let's head for the hearth, where, ensconced at the cozy core of this grand estate, we'll find the five elders, the veto-wielding members of the Security Council. There, of course, you'll run into the wayward U.S. and United Kingdom, who so disturbed the U.N. last year by chasing Saddam Hussein right out of his well-worn seat and down a spider-hole in the cellar. Nearby, counting his cash, is Russia's president Vladimir Putin, who strove so hard to preserve Iraq, uninterrupted, as a family business--Saddam's family, that is, and Russia's enormous Oil for Food business. Then there's Frère Jacques Chirac, who toiled so passionately last year in the U.N. kitchens, trying to stop America from cooking up any freedom fries in all that Iraqi oil. And, lest we forget, there's also China's Hu Jintao, who amid his many daily chores of jailing democratic dissidents and threatening Chinese democracy on Taiwan, found time last year to oppose the liberation of Iraq.

DEBUNKING CT

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Kat, at The Middle Ground is delving into some deep material. Check this site for in-depth coverage of the Oil CT--Conspiracy Theories. Good job, Kat!!
(lf1)

$60,000 Questions:

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Sevan, LAKIA, OFF

Why did Sevan, who's been reluctant to publicly answer any questions about the beleaguered oil-for-food program, tell the Iraqi government about the bribe allegation against it before apparently telling the Security Council? Was he getting the facts straight, or was he, in effect, tipping off Saddam Hussein that questions might soon be asked?

Second, after Sevan eventually brought the matter to the Security Council's attention, why did it not provoke an investigation and changes in the program especially since rumors of corruption were already widespread?

IRAQI VOICES!

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[While I seem to be wordless today, the Iraqi Voices are speaking. They have the words, and they are letting their voices be heard!]

For a brief summary of some voices:

Go To: Iraq Bloggers Central

Or, go to the sources:

Iraq the Model

I turned to one friend who was a committed She’at and who distrusted America all the way. He looked as if he was bewitched, and I asked him, “So, what do you think of this man? Do you still consider him an invader?” My friend smiled, still touched and said, “Absolutely not! He brought tears to my eyes. God bless him.”

Messopotamian

“As for the scum, it will go (disappear) in vain (uselessly); and as for that which has benefit for people, it will stay in the earth.”

“aren’t these men better than the riffraff who used to govern us?”

“Mother of Days”

“The tree of friendship is going to grow and grow and bear fruit as sure as day follows night. And the people deep down at the bottom of their hearts, they appreciate. Make no mistake about that.”


Don’t miss GM (Egypt) (link at right)

& In Kuwait: “Kuwait Resumes Diplomatic Ties with Iraq.”


Iraq Talk Radio:

“Iraqis rejoice on talk radio airwaves”

"I send my congratulations to all Iraqis and every Iraqi home,”

"I want to tell Dr. Allawi to be bold, to be strong. We need him to build up the army because we need them at a time like this."

I send all the Iraqi people my blessings," “But I warn these terrorists, all the Iraqis will rise up and strike them with steel”

"There is a feeling of joy among the listeners.”

"I say to our new government that everyone here is one," (from Kirkuk)


[Listen to the wonderful sound of Iraqis. We couldn’t hear them before. We hear them now.]

CHEERS FROM ELSEWHERE:

“Good luck for Iraq and the civilized people the friends of Iraq.”

“Hopefully there are some depressed terrorists and many jubilant Iraqis.”

“Bloody brilliant!” (New Zealand)

“Iraq is for All Iraqis--officially!”

“Mabrouk”

(AND,)

Congratulations to Iraq and Iraqis on this great day.. A day which is considered a big blow on the heads of those who call the United States and the coalition: ‘occupiers’.. Well.. thank you very much for the ‘occupiers’.. Those who helped us in liberating our country from the tyranny, the ‘occupiers’ who liberated Iraq on the 9th of April, the ‘occupiers’ who sent Mr.Paul Bremer as we did not have a governor at that time..the ‘occupiers’ who helped us in forming a governing council.. The ‘occupiers’ who helped us in the interim constitution.. The ‘occupiers’ who stood against the terrorists.. The ‘occupiers’ who helped us in forming and training our army......etc.. then those ‘occupiers’ handed over the sovereignty to the Iraqis.... they are the best ‘occupiers’ I’ve ever seen..(…) (Ays—Iraq at a Glance)

WORDS FAIL

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Words fail me today. There is happiness that Iraq belongs to Iraqis. Iraq is truly on the road to a better nation, a better place for Iraqis. Words are difficult to find; but, a smile is there for all Iraqis who have hopes and dreams for their country.

Words fail me. There are thoughts that SCOTUS may have SCRWDUS. The thoughts that our courts can reach into another country to protect an individual terrorist from our military; . . . . .it leaves me somewhat speechless. It leaves me with pictures of lawyers crawling over battlefields—thoughts of protections for OBL as he gives the orders for the destruction of a US city. There was no lawyer for the person on the 89th floor of the WTC. There will be no lawyer to protect US from another attack. No answers; only questions; I stare at the wall . . . speechless.

When the law protected Moussoui from unreasonable peeking into his computer hard drive, we lost the chance to protect ourselves. We protected Moussoui’s computer and sentenced thousands to death. Where is protection; where is reason; where is justice for the good guy. We are too involved with protecting the guilty under the guise of preventing one innocent from injustice; however, (somewhere) there are still innocents in the prison system. And, there are a h*ll of a lot more guilty roaming free. Where is the balance? Justice is blind; is she (now) blind to the guilty? Are those scales she carries tilted in favor of the criminal? What are the answers? I ask, but there is silence.

The world tells US to obey the Geneva Conventions; the world tells the terrorists. . .nothing. The world tells US not to torture—no panties on the head, no naked strolls or piles—nothing unpleasant please; the world watches another beheading in judicial silence. What does the world say to this? They say, “That detainee at Git’mo needs another musical instrument.” (I sputter but there are no words.)

I still smile that Iraqis are more in charge of their destinies; that an Iraqi father can say to his son or daughter, “Yesterday . . . was the beginning of a new era in Iraq. We will have fair elections, and this will be important to every Iraqi.” That is a good feeling; and, words fail to fully describe the feeling.

Words fail.

COMPLAINTS (DFI)

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Al Jazeera

Reports by Christian Aid and the Liberal Democrats, Britain's third-largest political party, said there were glaring gaps in the handling of $20 billion generated by Iraq's oil.

Latest Iraqi Oil Budget Report:


iraqcoalition.org

SURPRISE PARTY!!

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CONGRATULATIONS IRAQ!

Iraq (temporarily on loan) has been returned to Iraqis, two days early. It was a surprise. It puts a smile on the face. A big plateau has been accomplished.

Today, Iraq belongs to Iraqis. Not just a few, not a small group, not a tyrant, Iraq belongs to Iraqis.

Special Congratulations to All the great Iraqi Bloggers. Special hope for the Bloggers who did not have hope for a new Iraq; it could be a new start for you, a new hope for you, too.

Although there is still much hard work to do, the party starts now. Buffet table in the living room; drinks in the kitchen.

[A special treat for any terrorists who stop by: there is Kool-Aid punch. It’s to the rear of the backyard, near the woodpile (behind the woodshed.) Help yourself.]

COINCIDENCE?

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"SADDAM'S FINGERPRINTS ON N.Y. BOMBINGS"
The Wall Street Journal, June 28, 1993
by Laurie Mylroie

HERE

Mr. Yusuf soon became the roomate of Mohammed Salameh, the naive Palestinian who repeatedly returned to the van rental agency for his deposit. Passionate, but not bright, Mr. Salameh would appear a ready dupe to an intelligence operative. In trial documents, an Iraqi-American, Musaab Yassin, has stated that he had known Mr. Salameh two years. Mr. Yassin moved into Mr. Salameh's apartment in September 1992, and Mr. Salameh moved out. Mr. Yassin's younger brother, Abboud, lived with him. An Arab who knows Musaab Yassin, like Mr. Yusuf, came to the U.S. in the fall of 1992, seeking medical treatment.

In late November, Mr. Yusuf allegedly ordered chemicals for the bomb and Mr. Salameh rented a locker to store them. The plot was underway. In early February, Mr. Salameh notified his landlord that he and Mr. Yusuf would leave at month's end. On Feb. 26 the World Trade Center was bombed. Messrs. Salameh and Yusuf vacated their apartment two days later.

Mr. Salameh was arrested March 4. Musaab Yassin returned home that day to find the FBI searching his apartment, while Abboud had been taken for questioning. Abboud Yassin told the FBI that he taught Mr. Salameh to drive the van that carried the bomb, that he accompanied Mr. Salameh to an apartment later identified as the bomb's testing ground; and Abboud Yassin's information helped lead the FBI to the locker where the chemicals had been stored. The U.S. press reports that Abboud Yassin then returned to Iraq, as did Mr. Yusuf. The New York Times reported that Arabs who knew Mr. Salameh and the second Palestinian arrested, Nidal Ayyad, said that the two had "close ties with two Iraqis, one of whom they say was named Rashid, but both of whom have since disappeared."

This information, although sketchy, indicates Iraqi activity. If Mr. Yusuf, the key figure, had worked for Iran, Tehran would not have let him return to Iraq. Given the totalitarian nature of the Iraqi regime, even Abboud Yassin's return to Iraq is significant. An innocent man would, arguably, have chosen to stay in the U.S. - he would have a better chance of a fair hearing in a U.S. court than before an Iraqi intelligence officer. If Abboud Yassin was involved in the bombing - but was not acting under Baghdad's instruction - then it was even more imprudent for him to return to Iraq. Mr. Yusuf and Abboud Yassin could have gone to Afghanistan, where they would not have exposed themselves to the potentially fatal suspicions of Baghdad's intelligence agencies.

That two men involved came from Iraq and returned there is reason enough to consider an Iraqi role in the World Trade Center bombing. What other possible evidence is there? It has been reported that the bombing suspects received money from abroad: up to $100,000 from Germany, Iran, and "another Middle Eastern Country." That country is probably Jordan, shielded by U.S. authorities who continue protecting Amman for the sake of the "peace process." Without knowing how much money came from each country, though, it is hard to exclude Iraq. Last but not least, it is worth noting that the February bombing occurred on the second anniversary of Kuwait's liberation.

[NOTE:The article is over ten years old. How much of this is proven? Laurie Mylroie is still working on connecting dots.]

COMMENTS (at Sam's)

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[Diane found this link:]

Telegraph

(…)On the ground in al-Askeri, tension was once again rising under the US attacks. Strangers had to seek permission from the "district commander", a local imam called Sheikh Yassin who controls a broad coalition of Saddam loyalists and Islamic radicals, to move beyond the rebel lines. The sheikh, who has emerged as the neighbourhood strongman since the uprising against American occupation, has used his following to unite all strands of resistance under his leadership.

His radio buzzed constantly as scouts, moving incognito in private cars, sent in reports about US positions around the suburb. The ground shook as F-16 Falcons dropped precision-guided 500lb bombs on rebel positions near the football stadium, half a mile away.

US commanders have spoken of their frustration over the Fallujah Brigade's failure to rein in rebels, and the ineffectiveness of the political deal struck with local tribes in April. "We've been prepared to pull the plug on it three or four times, but each time we detect a faint heartbeat," a senior marine officer said. To Sheikh Yassin, the supposedly anti-rebel brigade is a useful tool, providing support for his fighters. "We respect the Fallujah brigade - it never interferes against us," he says. He openly acknowledges that his coalition was a marriage of convenience, bringing together the secular Saddam faithful and Muslim fundamentalists.

The imam, who wants Iraq to be governed by Islamic law, points to one of his companions - a colonel in the disbanded Iraqi army - and asks why he is still fighting.

The colonel is blunt. "Fallujah is the starting point of the return of the Ba'ath Party," he says. "Our comrades in Baghdad and other provinces are joining our struggle. Here already we are free. No one can touch us."(…)

Who is Sheikh Yassin? Is he a "muj?" Is he related to Abboud Yassin, or Musaab Yassin?

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

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Ladybird (Baghdad Dweller)


Fayrouz (Live from Dallas)

TAKEN TO COURT

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Sam (Hammorabi) Says:

The Main Iraqi Criminal Justice Court has issued a judicial order to arrest three Mullahs in Falluja for their instigation to kill six Iraqi Shia youth. They are:
1.Abdalla Al-Janabi,
2.Thafer Al-Dilami and
3.Omar Al-Hariri.
The Court has decided to take such action after full and detailed investigation which confirmed the involvement of the three mentioned above. What is called (Haiyat Olamaa Al Mouslmeen) or the Body of Muslims Clergy which is Sunni Pro-Wahabi group tried to bribe the relatives of the victims with at least one million Iraqi Dinars and to return their vehicles back if they keep silent, but they refused that and decided to take the matter legally. This is what the iraqi Law and Iraqis should do in their new civilized state!

[NOTE: It marks a new era; a new time when the people have some options against the powerful. And now, Iraqis can hope to see some justice applied!]

THE TERRORISTS CIVILIANS (402)

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NOBODY HERE BY THAT “T” NAME

There are no terrorists or resistors. Have you not read the news? The guy with the RPG is a civilian. Only civilians die. We bomb a terrorist hideout. Oops, more civilians.

Fallujah is full of Grandmas and Grampas; no terrorists here! In the dark of night, they are flown in from Syria and Saudi Arabia.

Yes, the planes are invisible! They arrive fast; they leave instantly. . .there are no terrorists here in Fallujah!

Just us civilians (somebody else left the RPG and mortar.)

“I was just holding it for a friend.”