Sunni Insurgents in New Campaign to Kill Officials

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times

Sunni Insurgents in New Campaign to Kill Officials

By ALISSA J. RUBIN
Published: September 26, 2007
BAGHDAD, Sept. 25 — Sunni Arab extremists have begun a systematic campaign to assassinate police chiefs, police officers, other Interior Ministry officials and tribal leaders throughout Iraq, staging at least 10 attacks in 48 hours.

Eight policemen have been killed, among them the police chief of Baquba, the largest city in Diyala Province. Two other police chiefs survived attacks, though one was left in critical condition, and about 30 police officers were wounded, according to reports from local security officers.

“We warned the government just a few days ago that there is a new plan by terrorist groups to target senior governmental officials, and particularly Interior Ministry officials,” said Maj. Gen. Hussein Kamal, the deputy interior minister for information and national investigations. The Interior Ministry is dominated by Shiites. One group, the Islamic State of Iraq, took responsibility on Tuesday for the attack in Diyala, which killed at least 18 people on Monday. The group has ties to Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a homegrown extremist group whose leadership has foreign ties, according to American intelligence officials.

The latest outbreak of violence follows closely on the concerted efforts of President Bush and Gen. David H. Petraeus to portray the American troop “surge” as having succeeded in bringing more stability to Iraq. Iraqi officials said Tuesday that the attacks might well have been intended to blunt that message.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/world/middleeast/26iraq.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[bemildred]

1. Gee, who could have predicted this?

The real story here is that we are in no position to offer these "officials" much protection.

[angstlessk]

2. Amazing...every spike in violence has something to do with America

or American politics...they want to influence the elections in America (2004 AND 2006) but violence has been spiking ever since we invaded and occupied that country...THERE THEY GO AGAIN!

[monktonman]

3. The officials are just in the way

maybe they're really trying to kill Blackwater