TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. 2005
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 5A
IRAQ
Nabil al-Jurani/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iraqis run from the area as a British Warrior fighting vehicle burns in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad yesterday. British forces and demonstrators exchanged gunfire in the southern city of Basra after two British men were arrested for allegedly gunning down an Iraqi police officer, authorities and witnesses said yesterday.
Iraqis accuse British of raiding city prison
BY ABBAS FAYADH
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BASRA, Iraq — British armored vehicles broke down the walls of the central jail in this southern city yesterday and freed two British soldiers, allegedly undercover commandos arrested for shooting two Iraqi policemen, witnesses said. But London said the two men were released as a result of negotiations.
The different versions of events came on a chaotic day that raised questions about how much sovereignty Iraqi authorities really were granted when the U.S.-led Coalition Provision Authority handed over power to an interim Iraqi government in the summer of 2004.
The arrests of the two British soldiers yesterday appeared to have been the first real and public test of how far that sovereignty extends.
There have been no known incidents of Iraqi authorities
arresting U.S. soldiers operating in the Iraqi heartland.
Mohammed al-Waiali, the governor of Basra province, condemned the British for raiding the prison, an act he called "barricic, savage and irresponsible"
"A British force of more than 10 tanks backed by helicopters attacked the central jail and destroyed it. This is an irresponsible act," al-Waail said, adding that the British force had spirited the prisoners away to an unknown location.
Aquil Jabbar, an Iraqi television cameraman who lives across the street from the Basra jail, said about 150 Iraqi prisoners fled as British commandos stormed inside and rescued their comrades.
Late yesterday, the Ministry of Defense in London said the two British soldiers were freed after negotiations.
A spokesman said he had no information suggesting the soldiers were freed as a result of overt military action, but
stopped short of denying reports that British armored tanks crashed through the walls of the jail to free British soldiers arrested by the Iraqi police.
According to the BBC, Defense officials insisted they had been talking to the Iraqi authorities to secure the release of the men, but acknowledged a wall was demolished as British forces tried to "collect" the two prisoners.
While the Shiite-dominated south of Iraq, where 8,500 British troops are based, has been far quieter than Sunni regions to the north.
British forces in Iraq have come under increasingly frequent attacks in recent weeks.
The British military has reported 96 deaths since the war began in 2003.
That compares with the deaths of 1,899 Americans who are stationed nearer the violent insurgent regions around Baghdad and stretching west to the Syrian border.
Win Free... Coheed & Cambria Tickets
Enter to win 2 tickets to their upcoming show at Liberty Hall on Thursday, October 6.
Fishing, flower pots & select 33% OFF military surplus store-wide sale 50% OFF (some exclusions may apply)
1235 N. 3rd 842-3374
NW side I-70
North Lawrence
HUME Music
843-2644 - 23rd & Louisiana
10% off
any music accessory
valid through 10/31/05
Hume Music: 843-2644 - 23rd & Louisiana
Adopt-A-School places KU students in the classroom of Lawrence elementary schools to volunteer once a week for the semester to help the teachers and tutor students.
If interested please contact Cortney at cort1015@ku.edu.
Whether in-store or online, receive 5% off Tuesdays for each touchdown scored by KU the previous weekend.* Visit Jayhawks.com or call 864-4640 for more info.
*Up to 30% off. Some restrictions apply. See store for details