MetalBoy
07-05-2004, 08:37 PM
BAGHDAD (AFP) - An Islamic group holding a US marine hostage was reported as saying it had released the man unharmed after he announced his desertion from the military, while US planes bombed a suspected rebel safehouse in Fallujah, killing at least 12.
The statement, attributed to the Islamic Retaliation Movement - Armed Resistance Wing and read on Al-Jazeera television, came as the interim government postponed for a second time announcement of a set of controversial security measures that were expected to include an amnesty for some resistance fighters.
"It'll be before the end of the week," said national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie.
The measures, intended to crush a 14-month insurgency, will include curfews, restrictions on movement and preemptive arrests.
The crackdown was expected to be coupled with an amnesty for insurgents not considered hardcore supporters of the resistance movement.
But rumors swirling around US marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, who has been missing from his unit since June 21 and was reported executed only two days ago, took an unexpected twist Monday when his presumed captors said the Lebanese-born marine had been set free and taken to a safehouse because he had promised to take off his uniform.
"Hassoun promised not to go back to the US army," the statement added.
The US military said they had no independent confirmation of Hassoun's release and was still listing him as captured.
Hassoun's family, which hails from the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, had issued a passionate appeal through Al-Jazeera and other media for the release of the 24-year-old man.
Meanwhile, in Fallujah, at least 12 people were killed after US warplanes dropped four 500-pound (227-kilogram) bombs and two 1,000-pound (454-kilogram) bombs on a suspected hideout of Islamic militant Abu Mussab Zarqawi.
"After consultations between Iraqi government officials and multinational forces-Iraq (news - web sites), Iraqi security forces provided clear and compelling intelligence to conduct a precision strike this evening on a known Zarqawi safe house in southeastern Fallujah," Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in a statement.
Volunteer Amer Hassan said he saw "eight bodies pulled out" from under the debris.
The attack is the fifth such raid over the past two weeks in Fallujah, where previous air strikes targeted other suspected safe houses used by al-Qaeda-linked Zarqawi.
In rumbling violence, three Iraqis were killed and 11 wounded in four separate attacks across the country against police and US soldiers.
Two relatives of a district head in the troubled city of Baquba were killed by unknown attackers late Sunday, a spokesman for the governorate said.
An Iraqi civilian was also killed and three wounded when their house was hit during a rocket attack on a police station in the southern city of Basra, police said.
Another Iraqi civilian was wounded when a roadside bomb targeting a US convoy exploded near Samawa on Monday, an Iraqi national guard spokesman said.
Five Iraqi civilians were wounded in an early morning roadside bombing in the main northern city of Mosul, the US military said.
The general unrest and a specific attack Sunday on a pipeline near the central city of Karbala pushed oil prices higher on world markets Monday.
The targeted oil duct served Iraq's domestic market, meaning the breach had no impact on the country's all-important exports.
But on Saturday, a rupture to a main southern oil pipeline caused a fresh fall in Iraqi oil exports.
It was not immediately clear if the pipeline had been sabotaged or had sprung a leak. The rupture was at the site of one of two sabotage attacks last month that effectively halted Iraqi exports for almost a week.
Allawi also announced that Iraq would re-establish diplomatic relations with France, broken off in 1991 after the Gulf War (news - web sites), "very soon".
The prime minister also called on Syria and Iran to support the multi-national forces in Iraq, one day after the two neighbourings countries called for foreign troops to withdraw the country.
"I think the brother presidents in Syria and Iran should revise (their position) in the interests of Iraq. Indeed, they should support the presence of the multi-national forces," Allawi told Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television.
On Sunday, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stood side by side to call for the rapid departure of foreign troops from Iraq.
"The solution is the quick end to the occupation, the installation of a government comprising all elements of the Iraqi people and the cooperation of the international community to bring stability and reconstruction," Khatami said.
"We have always been in agreement with Iran on the need for Iraq's territorial integrity, a representative government and the departure of the occupying forces," said Assad, on a two-day visit to the Islamic republic.
But Allawi disagreed with this assessment.
"In Iraq, there are no occupation forces. There are multi-nationals at the request of Iraq and the Iraqi government," he said.
Let's hope this is true. I don't give a hoot if he told the terrorists that he would desert. As long as he is free I'm happy.
The statement, attributed to the Islamic Retaliation Movement - Armed Resistance Wing and read on Al-Jazeera television, came as the interim government postponed for a second time announcement of a set of controversial security measures that were expected to include an amnesty for some resistance fighters.
"It'll be before the end of the week," said national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie.
The measures, intended to crush a 14-month insurgency, will include curfews, restrictions on movement and preemptive arrests.
The crackdown was expected to be coupled with an amnesty for insurgents not considered hardcore supporters of the resistance movement.
But rumors swirling around US marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, who has been missing from his unit since June 21 and was reported executed only two days ago, took an unexpected twist Monday when his presumed captors said the Lebanese-born marine had been set free and taken to a safehouse because he had promised to take off his uniform.
"Hassoun promised not to go back to the US army," the statement added.
The US military said they had no independent confirmation of Hassoun's release and was still listing him as captured.
Hassoun's family, which hails from the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, had issued a passionate appeal through Al-Jazeera and other media for the release of the 24-year-old man.
Meanwhile, in Fallujah, at least 12 people were killed after US warplanes dropped four 500-pound (227-kilogram) bombs and two 1,000-pound (454-kilogram) bombs on a suspected hideout of Islamic militant Abu Mussab Zarqawi.
"After consultations between Iraqi government officials and multinational forces-Iraq (news - web sites), Iraqi security forces provided clear and compelling intelligence to conduct a precision strike this evening on a known Zarqawi safe house in southeastern Fallujah," Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in a statement.
Volunteer Amer Hassan said he saw "eight bodies pulled out" from under the debris.
The attack is the fifth such raid over the past two weeks in Fallujah, where previous air strikes targeted other suspected safe houses used by al-Qaeda-linked Zarqawi.
In rumbling violence, three Iraqis were killed and 11 wounded in four separate attacks across the country against police and US soldiers.
Two relatives of a district head in the troubled city of Baquba were killed by unknown attackers late Sunday, a spokesman for the governorate said.
An Iraqi civilian was also killed and three wounded when their house was hit during a rocket attack on a police station in the southern city of Basra, police said.
Another Iraqi civilian was wounded when a roadside bomb targeting a US convoy exploded near Samawa on Monday, an Iraqi national guard spokesman said.
Five Iraqi civilians were wounded in an early morning roadside bombing in the main northern city of Mosul, the US military said.
The general unrest and a specific attack Sunday on a pipeline near the central city of Karbala pushed oil prices higher on world markets Monday.
The targeted oil duct served Iraq's domestic market, meaning the breach had no impact on the country's all-important exports.
But on Saturday, a rupture to a main southern oil pipeline caused a fresh fall in Iraqi oil exports.
It was not immediately clear if the pipeline had been sabotaged or had sprung a leak. The rupture was at the site of one of two sabotage attacks last month that effectively halted Iraqi exports for almost a week.
Allawi also announced that Iraq would re-establish diplomatic relations with France, broken off in 1991 after the Gulf War (news - web sites), "very soon".
The prime minister also called on Syria and Iran to support the multi-national forces in Iraq, one day after the two neighbourings countries called for foreign troops to withdraw the country.
"I think the brother presidents in Syria and Iran should revise (their position) in the interests of Iraq. Indeed, they should support the presence of the multi-national forces," Allawi told Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television.
On Sunday, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stood side by side to call for the rapid departure of foreign troops from Iraq.
"The solution is the quick end to the occupation, the installation of a government comprising all elements of the Iraqi people and the cooperation of the international community to bring stability and reconstruction," Khatami said.
"We have always been in agreement with Iran on the need for Iraq's territorial integrity, a representative government and the departure of the occupying forces," said Assad, on a two-day visit to the Islamic republic.
But Allawi disagreed with this assessment.
"In Iraq, there are no occupation forces. There are multi-nationals at the request of Iraq and the Iraqi government," he said.
Let's hope this is true. I don't give a hoot if he told the terrorists that he would desert. As long as he is free I'm happy.