Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Government rift increased by hostage situation
Politics, Security
The Iraqi cabinet split on Wednesday over the fate of dozens of hostages snatched in a mass kidnap that raised new fears that sectarian militias can defy the government at will on the streets of Baghdad. Abd Dhiab, the Sunni Higher Education Minister for universities whose staff were snatched, said up to 80 were still missing, possibly in a Shi'ite militia stronghold, and said he would boycott the government until they were found. He said 27 employees had been released as well as a number of people who were visiting the ministry annex. "Around 70 or 80 still being held," Dhiab said.Several families, all Sunnis, said they had not heard from kidnapped relatives and feared the worst.
However, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the 37 people who had been freed accounted for nearly all of those taken -- only a few, perhaps two to five, were still missing. He said the Higher Education Ministry was mistaken in saying that about 100 people were initially abducted and put the total number of hostages hauled away on Tuesday at around 40. A lack of records at the ministry meant the figures were approximate. Minister Dhiab said he could neither confirm nor deny a report that many hostages were held at a school in Sadr City.
However, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the 37 people who had been freed accounted for nearly all of those taken -- only a few, perhaps two to five, were still missing. He said the Higher Education Ministry was mistaken in saying that about 100 people were initially abducted and put the total number of hostages hauled away on Tuesday at around 40. A lack of records at the ministry meant the figures were approximate. Minister Dhiab said he could neither confirm nor deny a report that many hostages were held at a school in Sadr City.
Maliki himself played down the mass kidnap, which has put further strain on his government to disband militias involved in sectarian violence. He called the raid the result of a dispute among various armed groups and has said lately that he can deal with Shi'ite militants using political negotiation, not force. "What happened was not terrorism, rather it was due to dispute and conflict between militias from one side or another," he said in televised remarks. He later said the government's response had been strong and vowed to catch those responsible. Iraqi leaders and U.S. commanders accept that the police force is heavily infiltrated by exactly the Shi'ite militias that the government has sworn to get off the streets.
Kidnapped employees' families said at least several of their relatives were still missing. Four of those identified by Reuters as still being missing are all Sunnis, while the only person identified as being released, a senior ministry official, is a Shi'ite. However, officials declined to characterize the raid as a Shi'ite militia attack and would not comment on similarities to other such mass kidnappings, when hostages have been segregated according to their religion and either freed or killed.
Kidnapped employees' families said at least several of their relatives were still missing. Four of those identified by Reuters as still being missing are all Sunnis, while the only person identified as being released, a senior ministry official, is a Shi'ite. However, officials declined to characterize the raid as a Shi'ite militia attack and would not comment on similarities to other such mass kidnappings, when hostages have been segregated according to their religion and either freed or killed.
