Smackdown in Iraq, no one is off limits

The forces have been unleashed and no one is out of their reach. A top Iraqi official has been nabbed. US and Iraqi forces in Baghdad have arrested the deputy health minister, Hakim al-Zamili, a key member of the political group led by radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, during a raid yesterday. Why was he arrested? 'He is accused of aiding Shia militiamen and using ambulances to move weapons, a ministry source told the BBC

Iraqi officials say US and Iraqi troops broke down doors in the health ministry's offices in central Baghdad in their search for Mr Zamili. Shattered glass littered the floor, computers were overturned and a large white boot print was left on the office door, the Associated Press news agency reported.

The minister and some of his guards were arrested.

The US military said Mr Zamili was allegedly implicated in the deaths of a number of ministry officials.

It said he had also allegedly channeled millions of dollars to Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army militia.

Mr Sadr's group accused the US of provocation and urged the government to take immediate action to free the official.

"They are trying to drag the Sadrist movement to a confrontation. How else would arresting a deputy health minister without an arrest warrant be read," Abdel Mahdi al-Matiri, an official in Mr Sadr's movement, told Reuters news agency. (source)

Well 'Mr.' Sadr, I hope you are next on the American and Iraqi's 'to get' list. I want to hear more reports of the bad guys getting what they deserve.

Comments

[Butch]

It's about time! Let the military do it's job for pete's sake...

[Christi]

That's good news, Debbie. It's about time we took off the gloves and lived up to "you're either with us or against us". And I agree, it would be great to see Sadr doing the perp walk.

[Angel]

g'mornin Debbie..when will we unleash our true power is what I want to know!..ty for the links..wonderful!