US Troops accused of mosque massacre

Times - Sectarian strife embroils US

US TROOPS were accused of killing up to 22 Iraqis yesterday after becoming embroiled in a fierce battle with a powerful Shia militia at a Baghdad mosque, The reported clash, the circumstances of which were disputed by US Forces, raised fears in Washington that America was being drawn into the growing sectarian violence.

Iraqi police said that the clashes erupted after the Mahdi Army militia loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, the firebrand Shia cleric, tried to stop US troops from entering a mosque in a Shia stronghold in eastern Baghdad.

It was unclear how the clash started, but a senior aide to Hojatoleslam al-Sadr fanned the flames of anti-American sentiment by accusing the US troops of killing more than 20 unarmed worshippers during evening prayers.

“The American forces went into Mustafa mosque at prayers and killed more than 20 worshippers . . . They tied them up and shot them,” Hazim al-Araji, Hojatoleslam al-Sadr’s aide, said. A US spokesman said that the incident was being investigated.

I think that is the worse thing that the US troops are doing in Iraq - to get caught in the Sectarian Strife. The Shia Militia of Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is probably the strongest force in Iraq today, and no politician can get anywhere near their influence. So this event is not really going to help the current crisis in Iraq.

This clash at the mosque would be the heaviest battle between US troops and the Mahdi Army for more than a year.

Washington Post - 16 Sadr Loyalists Killed in Assault

The U.S. military said in a statement that "no mosques were entered or damaged during this operation." The military also said U.S. forces came under fire as the raid began and then returned fire. It was impossible to verify where the raid took place because of the nightly government-imposed curfew that began at 8 p.m., hours before news of the incident broke.

The killings further inflamed an already volatile political situation as Iraqi leaders struggle to form a new government in the face of mounting sectarian violence. An outspoken opponent of the U.S. presence in Iraq, Sadr has become a potent political force, fielding more than 30 loyal members in Iraq's new parliament. The incident Sunday was one of the deadliest encounters between his followers and U.S. and Iraqi forces since his Mahdi Army militia waged two violent uprisings in 2004.

"I think we are going to have a firm stance against the American forces because of this crime," Salam al-Maliki, the country's transportation minister and a close Sadr ally, said on al-Iraqiya television. The network aired footage throughout the night of bloody bodies lying on a concrete floor and men wrapping the corpses in blankets by the light of glow sticks and carrying them away.

Troops accused of mosque massacre

US troops have mounted two raids against Iraqi Shiite forces in Baghdad, killing up to 20 gunmen in a raid on a radical mosque and arresting more than 40 Interior Ministry personnel guarding a secret prison.

Details were sketchy today, but the two operations looked like US strikes against sectarian Shiite militias of the kind the US ambassador has said must be eliminated if Iraq is to form a unity government and halt a slide toward civil war.

Iraqi police and residents said a US raid on a Shiite mosque in the Shaab district of east Baghdad sparked fierce clashes with militiamen of the Mehdi Army loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. A medical source at Yarmouk hospital said he saw 18 bodies of Iraqis killed in the operation.

Iraq Forces Targeted Terrorists; Didn't Enter Mosque, U.S. Says

Iraqi Special Operations Forces conducted a twilight raid in the Adhamiyah neighborhood in northeast Baghdad to disrupt a terrorist cell responsible for conducting attacks on Iraqi security and coalition forces and kidnapping Iraqi civilians,'' the U.S. military said in a statement e-mailed late yesterday from Baghdad. "No mosques were entered or damaged.''

The statement contradicts claims by an official in Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari's Dawa Party, who said 16 people killed in the operation were in the mosque, according to Agence France-Presse. U.S. and Iraqi forces were chasing a wanted man who fled into the mosque, the official said.

"This was a hostile attack looking to destroy the political process and provoke civil war,'' Jawad Maliki told the Iraqia television channel, AFP reported. "We put full responsibility on U.S. troops and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.''

News BBC - Iraqi PM concerned over killings

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has expressed concern to US military authorities about a clash near a mosque in a Shia area of Baghdad on Sunday.

Accounts of the raid, in which about 20 people were killed, remain confused with disagreement about the role of US forces and the identity of the dead.

Large numbers of weapons were found, the US military said, and an abducted employee of the ministry of health was freed, after a 12-hour ordeal of beating.

A senior supporter of Mr Sadr rejected the US account, saying: "This is a lie, we saw unarmed worshippers and we didn't find any Iraqi weapons. This place was just for praying and worshipping."

Sketchy Details and Contradictory statements.

Again this only prooves the following:

That we have NO CLUE at all what is Really going on in Iraq.

That the Violence is rapidly Increasing.

That the Coalition forces do NOT control anything.

That Secretarin violence is now involving US troops too.

That the US Military statements again Contradict local Iraqi authorities and local Iraqi population.

So yet again - what REALLY happened?

Should we belive the US Military statement?

Should we belive the Iraqi PM?

Should we belive the Shia Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr?

I guess we can thank the media blackout forced by the US for us never being able to be sure of any of the news coming from Iraq. Why does the US army restrict journalists so much even to the point of murdering them when they get to close to something?

It seems obvious to me that the US/UK are doing things in Iraq which would make even the most stubborn war supporter question if what is happening in Iraq.

Maybe its the true goal of the USA to liberate Iraqs Oil from those evil barrons, and clense all those evil Sunnis who are terrorists just for defending their homes and ways of life.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by HiddenReality]

LOL, the spin baby, the spin!! Im dizzy after reading that.


I'll rewrite your title for you souljah, no thanks needed:

"22 Terrorists killed while firing at coalition troops from a mosque in the hopes that they wouldnt shoot back. Iranian/Syrian backed insurgancy leaders see the propaganda value in hindsight of US routing..."

Soujah, in the US they have an old fishermans saying, maybe you have heard of it?

"Hook, line, and sinker"

IN MOSQUE AFTER MASSACRE.

At least 22 killed after Shiite militants clash with U.S. troops in Baghdad
By: Various on: 26.03.2006 [20:08 ] (604 reads)


The U.S. military has not yet confirmed the report. Earlier, the source said at least ten members of the Mehdi Army loyal to Muqtada Sadr were killed in clashes with U.S. troops.

The clashes occurred at around 6:30 p.m. (1530 GMT) in Urdistrict of Baghdad, the source said

(3059 bytes) [c] Print
www.chinaview.cn 2006-03-27 03:47:33
BAGHDAD, March 26 (Xinhuanet) — Twenty bodies were found in a Shiite mosque in northern Baghdad after militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr clashed with U.S. troops on Sunday, Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.

But the source did not specify whether the bodies were militants or civilians.

The bodies were found by Iraqi police in al-Moustafa mosque after U.S. troops withdrew, he said.

Iraqi police also found bombs planted by American forces, which were later defused, the source added.

The U.S. military has not yet confirmed the report. Earlier, the source said at least ten members of the Mehdi Army loyal to Muqtada Sadr were killed in clashes with U.S. troops. The clashes occurred at around 6:30 p.m. (1530 GMT) in Urdistrict of Baghdad, the source said.

The area has been cordoned off by American forces, he said. A senior aide to Muqtada Sadr told the al-Arabiya television that U.S. forces surrounded a Shiite mosque and killed at least 16 to 17 worshippers.

Abdul al-Hadi al-Daraji said that there were also an unknown number of people arrested.

news.xinhuanet.com...

Would this have gone on the news as another "shia mosque bombed by secterian terrorists zarqawi insurgence arab fighter saddam loyalists whatever whatever" ?

Certainly it would have covered up their crimes.


American terrorists caught red handed once again.

Iraq minister says US, Iraqi troops killed 37

Iraq's security minister, a Shi'ite political ally of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, accused U.S. and Iraqi troops on Monday of killing 37 unarmed people in an attack on a mosque complex a day earlier.

"At evening prayers, American soldiers accompanied by Iraqi troops raided the Mustafa mosque and killed 37 people," Abd al-Karim al-Enzi, minister of state for national security, said.

"They were ALL UNARMED. Nobody fired a single shot at them (the troops). They went in, tied up the people and shot them all. They did not leave any wounded behind," he told Reuters.

It looks like the Iraqi authorities are Angry - it looks like nobody fired a shot at the troops from the Mosque, and the US and Iraqi soldiers went in, tied them up and again EXECUTED them.

No wounded - just Dead.

US Military ofcourse Rejects everything:

US Rejects Iraqi Accusations

"Iraqi commandos and soldiers from the Iraqi counter-terrorism force killed 16 insurgents and wounded three others during a house-to-house search on an objective with multiple structures," said the US military.

The statement added that the Iraqi special forces "received fire almost immediately from several buildings near the target area. They maintained the outer perimeter that enabled an assault force to move quickly to clear and secure the objective, a compound of several buildings."

The US military admitted that members of the US special forces were present in an advisory capacity and said that "no mosques were entered or damaged during this operation."

So again it is "Our Word against Theirs".

US Military says, they shot "Insurgents" - yet Iraqi PM says they shot Unarmed people at the evening Prayer.

US Military says, that No Mosques were Entered - yet the Iraqi version says the Opposite.

So - How can Unarmed people, at the evening Prayer fire at the US/Iraqi troops?

Originally posted by Syrian Sister
news.xinhuanet.com...


Would this have gone on the news as another "shia mosque bombed by secterian terrorists zarqawi insurgence arab fighter saddam loyalists whatever whatever" ?

Certainly it would have covered up their crimes.


American terrorists caught red handed once again.

Your link don't work. And anyways we have known that most of the police are Shiite, and since the Interior Ministry is controlled by Shiites, no doubt that source would say the U.S. did this or that. They also have hit squads themselves to target the Sunnis as well, guess they are mad that we be going after the Shiites We don't just discriminate against Sunni insurgents.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by deltaboy]

one extrodenary aspect that is being overlooked by the war supporters is...dispite what we want to think about it here in the u.s., AMERIKA really isn't the whole world and these articles are what others around the world are reading and belivieing. there is ,argueably, not alot of support for u.s. action in iraq and with incidents like this only make the u.s. look worse......even if the facts seem to be scketchy. how do the iraq people get news....word of mouth...a friend saw, heard...i have a friend, relative that..... these probably hold more wieght with them than anything the u.s. might say..................

to get caught in the Sectarian Strife. The Shia Militia of Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is probably the strongest force in Iraq today

He's a US puppet. If he was really a threat to the US, then they'd've killed him long ago when he was fighting them, and al-sistani would've said 'its aok' and that'd've been the end of it. al-Sadr is one of the tools of the administration, to have a 'viable candidate' who 'stayed with the militias and can be trusted' by the people.

US Troops accused of mosque massacre

Radical funamentalist arabs accused of 911 massacre.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by Nygdan]

Originally posted by Nygdan
He's a US puppet. If he was really a threat to the US, then they'd've killed him long ago when he was fighting them, and al-sistani would've said 'its aok' and that'd've been the end of it. al-Sadr is one of the tools of the administration, to have a 'viable candidate' who 'stayed with the militias and can be trusted' by the people.

Perhaps you are Right.

But I highly doubt that the US wanted a Dead Cleric - since a Dead Cleric can quickly become a Martyr, a Hero and you can not kill Dead Heroes again. They can become more powerful then when they were Alive.

I think thats the main problem.

Originally posted by Souljah
But I highly doubt that the US wanted a Dead Cleric - since a Dead Cleric can quickly become a Martyr,

Can't become a martyr if the living religious clerics condem you. Besides, there are lots of dead wannabe religious leaders in iraq now.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Can't become a martyr if the living religious clerics condem you. Besides, there are lots of dead wannabe religious leaders in iraq now.

Well, Sadr has around 30 loyal members in the Iraqi parlament, not to mention the full support of the Shia majority, which trust him more then any Police and Iraqi soldiers. So - the most powerful man in Iraq remains Sadr, and if US would remove him, there would be MORE trouble then with him alive.

He is far from "Wannabe Religious Leader".

Sadr is beneath Sistani. If the US had put a bullet in his head the first time his 'mehdi army' started shooting at the US, then we wouldn't be talking about him today, he'd just be one of many casualities, and perhaps his mehdi army would be chaffing under the instance of Sistani that they not revolt.

He's much more useful to the US interests alive, its probably why the US didn't, infact, kill him, the first or second time his militia rose up 'against' it, they work with him, promising him political position, even if 'extra-governmental', in the future.

American terrorists caught red handed once again.

So what.....

Muslim clerics and religious leaders caught once again harboring Islamic terrorist in a mosque.

If these "freedom fighters" had any ounce of dignity they would bring the fight outside the mosque and away from innocent people. Oh well, they'll never learn....

Just a small tidbit of information that may help cast a little more light on this subject:

The building which was the subject of this search and seizure operation was not a traditional mosque. It was actually a local Baath Party compound which, after the fall of the Saddam regime, was converted into a local Shi'ite religious center where daily prayers and other religious-oriented events took place. What it was not was a standard Iraqi mosque with a round dome and traditional exterior religious accoutrements.

Taking this fact at face value, does this alter your opinion of the event in any way?

A mosque doesn't have to be 'mosque-shaped' to be considered a mosque. Where I come from some mosques are just plain old square shaped buildings with flat roofs converted into a place of worship.

As long as its already a place where Friday prayers are held, it can be considered a mosque.

I think the moment armed thugs take up fighting positions inside a mosque and start firing from it, it should no longer be considered a place of warship (WARship).

Just another one of the many examples of insurgents/terrorists using mosques as a place to mount attacks. (and hospitals, schools, wearing women’s clothing, holding kids, etc…)

I actually think this story is really good news. It shows the terrorists they cannot hide behind their mosques anymore.

And remember people: It’s the people who choose to fight FROM a holy place that desecrate it, not the people who attack those fighters inside. If they weren’t there shooting from the windows in the first place, nobody would be shooting back.

I think the coalition has shown amazing restraint in this regard, they should be commended.

Just think Soul: Your brothers and sisters will be there soon fighting along side of the US troops taking fire from mosques...

Thats convenient.
A Mini- Mosque.

Good for shooting FROM, when you don't want to harm a real Mosque.
Good for for POINTING FINGERS, when your enemy shoots back, and causes damage.

I'll bet there are more of these buildings. Stealth Mosques, that will inly be ID'd as Mosques, after the battle..

You can tell if it is a mosque if there are weapons stored there. If you find guns and ammo I would bet it is a mosque. American troops are not attacking mosques unless people are using it as a sanctuary for warriors. Hide in a mosque like a baby, that seems to be what they are good at. What are you afraid of?


[edit on 27-3-2006 by sbob]

[edit on 27-3-2006 by sbob]

You have voted spacedoubt for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Well said, they are very convenient arent they? And they come in any shape or size.

Id be willing to bet that place was dubbed a mosque about 10 minutes after the terrorists inside were spanked by the coalition.

Originally posted by sbob
You can tell if it is a mosque if there are weapons stored there. If you find guns and ammo I would bet it is a mosque. American troops are not attacking mosques unless people are using it as a sanctuary for warriors. Hide in a mosque like a baby, that seems to be what they are good at. What are you afraid of?


[edit on 27-3-2006 by sbob]

[edit on 27-3-2006 by sbob]

They are afraid of being mopped up and wiped out, they dont stand much of a chance in open combat with US forces, thats why they hide.

and while a bit cowardly, it makes sense, mosques are usually exempt from bombings from air or searches and it is great propaganda when they are attacked.

cant really blame them by trying to win any way they can, but you cant blame US forces when they destory the mosque either, its not the US bringing places of worship to the fight.