Thursday, April 05, 2007
Al-Maliki tells Bush officials are involved in terrorism
Politics, U.S., Security
(AP) — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told U.S. President George W. Bush in a recent videoconference that some Iraqi officials are involved in terrorism, government officials said Wednesday. The two leaders spoke Monday, a day after U.S. officials in Baghdad reported two suicide vests had been found near a trash bin in the "Green Zone," the highly guarded area of central Baghdad where the U.S. Embassy is located.
"The prime minister told him this is what we expect. Some politicians are involved in terrorism," said one Iraqi official. The official's comments were confirmed by two other officials. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. "Terrorists work in two ways, either as gunmen in the field or in politics," the official quoted al-Maliki as telling Bush.
The Iraqi official said terrorists wanted the new security plan in the capital to fail "so they entered the Green Zone." Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for Bush's National Security Council, said Wednesday that Bush and al-Maliki "talked about the importance of fighting terrorists, but I don't recall the suicide belts coming up."
The White House said on Monday that the two leaders had talked about the pace of the 7-week-old security crackdown. Extra troops from both countries are aiming to calm Baghdad and troubled Anbar Province, and some initial improvement has been reported. The discovery of the suicide vests was announced less than a week after a rocket attack on the Green Zone killed two Americans — a contractor and a soldier
"The prime minister told him this is what we expect. Some politicians are involved in terrorism," said one Iraqi official. The official's comments were confirmed by two other officials. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. "Terrorists work in two ways, either as gunmen in the field or in politics," the official quoted al-Maliki as telling Bush.
The Iraqi official said terrorists wanted the new security plan in the capital to fail "so they entered the Green Zone." Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for Bush's National Security Council, said Wednesday that Bush and al-Maliki "talked about the importance of fighting terrorists, but I don't recall the suicide belts coming up."
The White House said on Monday that the two leaders had talked about the pace of the 7-week-old security crackdown. Extra troops from both countries are aiming to calm Baghdad and troubled Anbar Province, and some initial improvement has been reported. The discovery of the suicide vests was announced less than a week after a rocket attack on the Green Zone killed two Americans — a contractor and a soldier
Labels: Al Anbar, Bush, Nouri Al-Maliki, security
