Iraq arrest warrant for UK troops (CNN)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Report: Rockets fired at buildings housing British officials

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- An Iraqi judge said on Saturday he had renewed arrest warrants for two British soldiers who were rescued from jail early this week by troops using armor to crash through the prison walls.

The British government said the warrants are not legally binding, as the soldiers are subject to UK law.

This week's violence in Basra infuriated local Iraqi police and government officials, and tensions remained high in the city on Saturday.

Rockets were fired at two buildings housing British officials, police said. Most of them missed their mark, and no British officials were hurt. However, two of the rockets hit nearby homes and wounded an Iraqi civilian, police said.

(snip)

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/09/24/iraq.basra.ap/index.html

(My comment: Some sovereignty we got going eh? I bet the Iraqis are loving their freedom from Saddam--you're free as long as you don't try to screw with any of our boys, who are killing you...)

[rodeodance]

1. The US has immunity but it seems all the 'coalition' troops do as well?

I really do not know.

[MADem]

15. I'm unsure of the details of the SOFA

(status of forces agreement) but if it is like most of them, someone from the Brit "State Department" will have to schmooze the equivalent individual in the Iraqi government, there will be a lot of hoo-ha-ing, the warrant will be withdrawn and the UK will take responsibility.

I will bet all coalition forces fall under the same provisos, though.

Works out real well for all those Iraqi bases that they have in the US and UK, because their forces stationed over here and in the UK get the same treatment!! (I am being snarky, mind you...).

In the interim, though, the wheels of justice, such as they may be, grind on. If those guys are even still in country I would be surprised...

[ixion]

2. so apparently, in the UK, it's a-okay to drive a tank into a prison

this seems to be what they're implying, IMO. :evilgrin:

[oblivious]

16. More like it's ok to kill a policeman who is merely doing his job.

And carry bombs and shit in your car.

[ixion]

27. in any case...

I think we make the same point. :-)

[oblivious]

28. Yep!

[slaveplanet]

3. British response:

Beat it you pikers, possession is 10/10ths of the law

[Roland99]

4. Merriam-Webster will offer an alternative definition for "sovereignty"

in their next printing.



Not legally binding because they say so? Just like they said the invasion of Iraq was legal but the DSM proved otherwise?

[Roland99]

5. Vote up the article, too!!

[sabra]

6. and Basra was supposed to be the peaceful part of Iraq

this war is lost!

[Roland99]

7. Well, if by peaceful you mean Talibanesque, then I agree

The Brits decided to look the other way but perhaps they got some PNACian memos to get things moving.

Who knows.

All we do know is Iraq is one big cluster fvck.

[Tom Joad]

8. This just shows how insane this war has become

Now we are not only fighting the resistance, but the puppet government we installed.

No wonder the Congressional Democrats say they don't want to cut and run, then things will fall into disarray! :sarcasm:

[DemReadingDU]

9. Raw Story article about the Brit Undercover Operatives

Why had the Iraqi police forces, which normally work in close cooperation with coalition military forces, arrested two British SAS soldiers, and then handed them over to the local militia?

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/CAUGHT_RED__0923.html

[JackORoses]

10. Iraqi judge renews arrest warrants for Britons

BASRA, Iraq - An Iraqi judge said on Saturday he had renewed arrest warrants for two British soldiers who were rescued from jail early this week by troops using armor to crash through the prison walls.

The two soldiers were arrested by Iraqi authorities on Monday after allegedly shooting two Iraqi policemen who tried to detain them. One of the policemen reportedly was killed. The two British soldiers, operating undercover, were subsequently taken into custody.
...
Basra authorities said the operation violated Iraqi sovereignty and the governor ordered all government employees to stop cooperating with the British, who have 8,500 troops in the Shiite Muslim-dominated region.

Judge Raghib al-Mudhafar, chief of the Basra Anti-Terrorism Court, said he reissued homicide arrest warrants for the two soldiers on Thursday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9459985/

[madrchsod]

11. well there is a problem

iraq isn`t quite a country yet so it can`t appeal to the world court and if they can then the brits are screwed...poor tony he blew the wrong guy

[NYC]

29. Gov't. employees ordered to stop cooperating with the British.

Basra authorities said the operation violated Iraqi sovereignty and the governor ordered all government employees to stop cooperating with the British, who have 8,500 troops in the Shiite Muslim-dominated region.

[Ardis]

12. Ardis

It`s hard to doubt that this hasn`t been going on since the war started.With all the reasons changing for the war and to stay the course it`s clear Bush and Blair have been playing high stakes poker.But the bluff ain`t no winning hand without your best poker face,looks to me their face`s reflect oh no the shits fixin to hit the fan.

[Cocoa]

13. sorry Judge al-Mudhafar

you should have checked with the Brits for guidance on the laws in your (sic) country.

Judge Raghib al-Mudhafar, chief of the Basra Anti-Terrorism Court, said Saturday that he reissued homicide arrest warrants for the two soldiers on Thursday.

[Cocoa]

14. Knight-Ridder has more on the legalities

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/world/12733195.htm

<snip>

Judge Raghib al-Mudhafar, the chief of the Basra anti-terrorism court, said Saturday that he charged the two soldiers with homicide.

But it's unclear whether the Iraqi courts have jurisdiction over the soldiers. Shortly before leaving the country in June 2004, L. Paul Bremer, then head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, signed an order giving multinational soldiers immunity from prosecution.

British officials said they believed that order still applied. Indeed, in the last month, some Iraq National Assembly members demanded that the new government revoke the order.

British officials also said they have not seen the arrest warrants. Regardless, they said they intended to "work fully" with the Iraqi government on its investigation of the alleged shooting and escape.

more...

[understandinglife]

17. CNN: Iraq arrest warrant for UK troops

Iraq arrest warrant for UK troops

Saturday, September 24, 2005; Posted: 11:18 p.m. EDT (03:18 GMT)

Iraq (AP) -- An Iraqi judge said on Saturday he had renewed arrest warrants for two British soldiers who were rescued from jail early this week by troops using armor to crash through the prison walls.

The British government said the warrants are not legally binding, as the soldiers are subject to UK law.

This week's violence in Basra infuriated local Iraqi police and government officials, and tensions remained high in the city on Saturday.

<clip>

Link:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/09/24/iraq.basra.ap/index.html

The imperialist UK response tells everyone exactly what the situation is - the US and UK are illegal occupiers, any pretense of a sanction by an Iraqi government for their persistent presence in Iraq is bogus, and the war criminals, Bush and Blair, continue to expand their rap sheets, daily.


Peace.

[phusion]

18. Sovreignty?

hah!

Recommended.

[understandinglife]

23. Sovereignty, indeed -- we all knew it was a joke, The Brits just confirmed

.... it for the entire world.

Raw imperialism; raw fascism -- plain and simple, everyone.

That is the USofA; That is the UK, of today.

Neoconster, nuk-le-ur age rogue imperialists serving their corporations interests and roi.

Simple.


Peace.

[cloud75]

19. this is pretty big..corruption at all levels...the us/uk now part of the

civil war...with all the shit that has been going on the dems should rebound nicely for a few decades sad but the repubs wanted total control this is what happens when it done their way.

[CrazyForKucinich]

20. This is rediculous

They're in Iraq. They should be held by their laws. So much for Iraqi Freedom...the UK won't even give it to them.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

21. I already posted this earlier today

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1803205&mesg_id=1803205

Threads should be merged or whatever

[understandinglife]

24. Didn't see it; and, the point of this post is that CNN started carrying ..

... the story within the past hour.

I'm sure the mods will honor your priority and link stuff - I just don't want it missed that CNN has finally placed the story on their Homepage.


Peace.

[Autonomy]

22. Everyone get out your umbrellas

there's going to be a shitstorm.

[bluestateguy]

25. Well, let's face reality here

The real leader of Iraq is George W. Bush. He makes the decisions that actually count in that country.

Iraq is like Poland or Czecholslovakia during the Cold War, and the US is like the USSR.

[understandinglife]

26. Indeed. And, I think many Iraqi citizens are facing that reality.

And, they are sharing with all of us, every day, just how thrilled they are.

Cataclysmic joy is what I am sure they will soon be sharing with all of us.


Peace.