U.S. Shields an Accused Iraqi Killer

[babylonsister]

http://www.nysun.com/article/57454?page_no=2

U.S. Shields an Accused Iraqi Killer

By ELI LAKE
Staff Reporter of the Sun
June 28, 2007


WASHINGTON — The American Embassy in Baghdad is offering de facto protection to the Iraqi culture minister, who an Iraqi judge this week charged with the attempted murder of a fellow parliamentarian, Mithal al-Alusi.

That is what Mr. Alusi told The New York Sun yesterday in a phone call from Baghdad. Mr. Alusi said the wanted man, As'ad Kamal al-Hashemi, had fled to al-Rashid Hotel inside the American-protected international zone in the center of Baghdad. Iraqi national police on Tuesday went to this location, only to be told by the South American mercenaries guarding the al-Rashid compound that they could not enter the grounds of the hotel where Mr. Hashemi was staying. Mr. Alusi then called the office of the American ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, to ask the Americans to order the guards to allow the national police to enter the premises. He was, in so many words, refused.

"I called Ambassador Ryan Crocker's office today and yesterday and they did not give any kind of answer. They are playing with us. They say this is an Iraqi issue, we are not going to be involved. And normally this is a very good attitude, but not when it stops us from arresting terrorists," Mr. Alusi said.

The contractors who guard al-Rashid Hotel report directly to American contractors, who in turn report to the American military command in Iraq or the American Embassy.

An American officer who has been monitoring the standoff said that General David Petraeus, who commands the Iraqi theater, had originally ordered American soldiers to accompany Iraqi national police on the raid Monday of Mr. Hashemi's home. But on the way to his home, the GIs were ordered to turn around after the Pentagon decided no Americans should be involved in the arrest. "The order was overturned in Washington," the officer said.

[MADem]

1. The guy must have some good dirt on someone--we're not in the habit of giving a shit about anyone,

these days.