The Baghdad Hotel Attack: The Real Targets

[ECH1969]

Not journalists, say Zarqawi and al-Qaeda, but a private security firm

Monday's deadly attack on Baghdad's Palestine Hotel, a large, well-coordinated assault claimed by al-Qaeda involving truck bombs which killed at least six people, was thought to target the many foreign journalists who stay there. But sources inside the Iraqi insurgency tell TIME that the real target was a security firm based in the hotel.

The raid was a joint operation between al-Qaeda in Iraq, the organization headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and Jaysh al-Muhammad, one of the largest Ba'athist groups. Al-Qaeda claims Iraqis from a suicide group called the Lions of Bara'a bin Malik drove the actual vehicle bombs. In a statement, al-Qaeda claimed the attack went after "the intelligence agencies, American, Australian and British security companies and the thieves of the treasures of Iraq," referring to contractors.

Insurgent sources told TIME the plan after that was to storm into the hotel and kill the surviving security members, but that part of the plan never came about because the third truck never got close enough to the hotel to do real damage and Iraqi security forces and American troops drove off the insurgent assault teams.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1122849,00.html

[MindPilot]

1. Riiiiiight

"sources inside the Iraqi insurgency tell TIME"...uh-huh. I don't believe that for an instant; it's too neat, too tidy.

The minute I heard that particular hotel was targeted, my first thought was it's a setup to target journalists. Particularly foreign journalists since they--unlike their American counterparts--are still capable of accurate reporting.

[ECH1969]

2. Time actually does have Michael Ware embeded

with the Insurgents, he is one of the few reporters willing to do that.

[DemoTex]

6. Embedded with insurgents: reminds me of a friend of mine ..

My friend invented a snake repellent product back in the 1970s. As a publicity stunt, he spent a weekend in a 10'x 10' structure separated from a couple of dozen eastern diamondback rattlesnakes with a line of his snake repellent. My friend made it without a bite; I hope Michael Ware is as lucky.

[TX-RAT]

10. I gotta hear this one.

I've caught thousands of live Rattlers, sold them to the cancer reseach facility in Kingsville.

[NV Whino]

3. On the other hand...

was the "security" team Blackwater?

[sniffa]

4. bingo

i don't get the disbeLief over the cLaims; that seems more pLausibLe than an attack soLeLy to hoLd journaLists hostage.

[saigon68]

5. Bilgewater $2000.00 a day mercenaries

[Dancing_Dave]

7. Sources inside the Iraqi insurgancy talk to TIME???

Good grief. Is al-CIA-duh on the propaganda warpath again?

[ECH1969]

8. Michael Ware is the embed with the insurgents

see link

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/07/06/iraq.insurgent.videos/

[liberalnurse]

9. According to Amy Goodman....

They house Independent journalist. Independent journalist are the ones who will print the scene as it happens without being sifted by the military. The facts need to be controlled....so kill the Independent messenger if they won't comply. Everyone there in Iraq know these are freelance journalist ....especially the U.S Military.

Who do you really think is attacking the hotel?