Iraq arrests 50 over coup plot: security official

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Iraq arrests 50 over coup plot: security official

2 hours ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraq has arrested about 50
interior ministry officials for plotting a coup
against the Shiite-led government, a senior Iraqi
security official said on Thursday.

"Fifty interior ministry civil servants, including
senior officials, were arrested over the past
three days for trying to topple the government of
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki," the official told
AFP on condition of anonymity.

Among those seized was General Ahmad Abul Rif,
the ministry's security chief, he said.

"They were linked to the Al-Awda (The Return),
a clandestine group that was working to bring the
Baath Party back into power," he said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gVRF_NY7Q3oU89ZgElcvOR-at4_g

---

Source: Reuters

35 Iraqi officials arrested over coup plot: report
Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:34am EST

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - About 35 officials have been
arrested at Iraq's Interior Ministry, some accused
of planning a coup, the New York Times reported,
citing senior security officials in Baghdad.

The arrests over the past three days were carried
out by an elite counterterrorism force reporting
directly to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the
paper said in its Thursday edition.

Iraqi officials could not confirm nor deny the
report, but Interior Ministry insiders were
skeptical about the likelihood of a coup, a
possibility increasingly raised in recent weeks by
U.S. and Iraqi officials as Maliki consolidates
his leadership.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4BH0NC20081218

[Hissyspit]

1. Coup is French for 'blow' as in...

to hit with a shoe...

or as in 'blowback.'

[tekisui]

4. Yeah, I'll wait and see on this. I think its shoe related.

[acmavm]

2. I think Maliki's days are numbered. Especially since the 'shoe bomber'

incident the other day.

[harmonicon]

3. I seem to remember another coup in Iraq a few years ago....

something about how they needed to change the regime or something? Anyone? Whatever happened to those guys? I bet they're in jail now.

[tekisui]

5. Elite Force reporting to Maliki?

The arrests over the past three days were carried
out by an elite counterterrorism force reporting
directly to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki

WTF? That sounds like Saddam styled justice.

[Robbien]

6. Critics of Al-Maliki say he has been using arrests to consolidate power.

Which is standard operating procedure when a leader is just a corrupt puppet.

[underpants]

7. Another one? oh this was internal

:eyes:

Who could have seen THAT coming?

[Eugene]

8. Reuters: Iraq minister dismisses coup plot, blames politics

Source: Reuters

Iraq minister dismisses coup plot, blames politics
19 Dec 2008 20:17:16 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Waleed Ibrahim

BAGHDAD, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Iraq's Interior Minister
vigorously denied on Friday reports that the arrest of
several officers was related to a plot to overthrow the
government.

"It is a big lie. The public must understand this,"
Interior Minister Jawad Bolani said at a news conference
the day after Baghdad was seized by rumours surrounding
the arrest of more than 20 officers from Iraq's interior
and defence ministries.

"It was clearly motivated by politics and was not related
to security," said Bolani, an independent Shi'ite who is
seen as having largely wrested Iraq's strategic Interior
Ministry from the grip of militias.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LJ290145.htm