Navid
05-10-2004, 11:21 PM
America is very lucky that spain military is running away like little girls.. may they live as the cowards they are under the feet of osama post 3-11.. why america wants this country who is going out of its way to undermine usa is beyond me..
Spain says wouldn't hand over Iraqi cleric
MADRID, May 10 (*******) - Spanish forces in Iraq refused a request, apparently from the United States, to hand over "dead or alive" an Iraqi religious leader if they encountered him, Defence Minister Jose Bono was quoted as saying on Monday.
"The occupying countries can engage in offensive actions. But coalition countries like Spain cannot participate in offensive actions and therefore we said categorically that we were not prepared to hand over dead or alive -- as we were asked to do at one point -- a certain religious leader," Bono was quoted as saying by Europa Press news agency.
Bono did not say if he was referring to rebel Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who has led an uprising against the U.S.-led occupation. He also did say who made the request, but appeared to be referring to U.S. forces who have vowed to kill or capture Sadr.
Spain is withdrawing forces from Iraq in line with an electoral pledge by Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who won power in March shortly after the Madrid train bombings.
Sadr's stronghold is in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, where Spanish forces were present until it recently concentrated troops in Diwaniya prior to departure. Bono said Spanish troops in Iraq were "subject to international law, which prevents us being an occupying and offensive force."
He said Spaniards could be sure their troops had not mistreated any Iraqi prisoner.
He said U.S. forces would take control of the remaining Spanish base in Diwaniya by May 17 and said all Spanish troops were likely to be out of Iraq before May 27.
05/10/04 19:55 ET
Spain says wouldn't hand over Iraqi cleric
MADRID, May 10 (*******) - Spanish forces in Iraq refused a request, apparently from the United States, to hand over "dead or alive" an Iraqi religious leader if they encountered him, Defence Minister Jose Bono was quoted as saying on Monday.
"The occupying countries can engage in offensive actions. But coalition countries like Spain cannot participate in offensive actions and therefore we said categorically that we were not prepared to hand over dead or alive -- as we were asked to do at one point -- a certain religious leader," Bono was quoted as saying by Europa Press news agency.
Bono did not say if he was referring to rebel Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who has led an uprising against the U.S.-led occupation. He also did say who made the request, but appeared to be referring to U.S. forces who have vowed to kill or capture Sadr.
Spain is withdrawing forces from Iraq in line with an electoral pledge by Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who won power in March shortly after the Madrid train bombings.
Sadr's stronghold is in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, where Spanish forces were present until it recently concentrated troops in Diwaniya prior to departure. Bono said Spanish troops in Iraq were "subject to international law, which prevents us being an occupying and offensive force."
He said Spaniards could be sure their troops had not mistreated any Iraqi prisoner.
He said U.S. forces would take control of the remaining Spanish base in Diwaniya by May 17 and said all Spanish troops were likely to be out of Iraq before May 27.
05/10/04 19:55 ET