Iraqi Official: "Third Iraqi Army" Responsible for "Dirty Jobs"

March 31, 2006 -- IRAQ NEWS

Iraqi Official: "Third Iraqi Army" Responsible for "Dirty Jobs"

Officials in Baghdad are talking about a "third Iraqi army" that takes direct orders from the U.S. and is responsible for "dirty jobs," al Hayat reports today. Iraqi National Security Minister Abdul Karim al-Anzi said the special Iraqi force is not supervised by the Iraqi government. A Colonel in the U.S. military denied this information and said the force was meant to fight kidnappings and assassination and takes its orders from the Iraqi ministry in coordination with coalition forces. The existence of the special force was revealed after its members participated in the operation at the Huseyneyat al-Mustafa in Baghdad resulting in the killing of 16 Shiites last Sunday. "Informed sources" told al Hayat that the force that participated in the operation was formed in mid-2004 and is made up of fighter from the former Iraqi intelligence, Republican Guard and Special Forces who were tested and offered a chance to volunteer to become part of the force. (Al Hayat)

Strategic Appeals May Have Freed Carroll

A Carefully Coordinated and Crafted Pleas May Have Reached Hostage-Takers. (ABC News)

Insurgents Justify Release of Jill Carroll in Web Tape

Tape Claims Americans Met Some Demands. (ABC News)

Iraq Unrest Displaces Thousands

More than 30,000 Iraqis have been displaced as a result of sectarian violence between the country's two main communities over the past month. (BBC)

Comment:

Iraqis Face A More Brutal Life With Each Passing Month

Terror and chaos reign, and the titanic challenge of ensuring political stability has barely begun to be addressed. (The Guardian)

Radio Show Helps Iraqis Air Their Grievances

The call-in program is hugely popular, tackling complaints ranging from high bills to traffic jams. But the newly free media have a ways to go. (LA Times)

MOUSSAOUI TRIAL

In Closing, Moussaoui Trial Rests On His Lies

A Role Reversal Redux As Jury Gets Terror Case. (Washington Post)

Analysis: At Sept. 11 Trial, Tale of Missteps and Management

Documents released in the sentencing of Zacarias Moussaoui have offered an eerie parallel view of Al Qaeda and the F.B.I. (NY Times)

SAUDI TERROR ARRESTS

Analysis: The Ongoing Struggle Against Al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula

Saudi security forces conducting a series of raids throughout the kingdom in March arrested 40 suspected militants, uncovered caches of explosives and weapons, and seized two vehicles rigged with explosives -- likely thwarting an imminent attack. (Stratfor)

IRAN

U.N. Atomic Chief Says Iran Is Not an Imminent Threat

As the country insists its nuclear program is peaceful, ElBaradei believes that threatening sanctions could cause the situation to unravel. (LA Times)

Opinion: Could Sanctions Stop Iran?

Recent History Suggests That the Prospects Aren't Good. (Washington Post)

Iran Tests Missile Able to Avoid Radar

Iran Says It Has Successfully Test-Fired Locally Made Missile Able to Avoid Radar. (AP)

PAKISTAN - SAUDI ARABIA

Islamabad Rejects Report On Nuclear Help to Riyadh

Pakistan has rejected in categorical terms a report indicating it was helping Saudi Arabia in developing a nuclear program. (Asian Tribune)

YEMEN

Head of Aden Islamic Army: Americans Were Present At Interrogations

The head of the outlawed Yemeni Aden-Abyan Islamic Army told Asharq al Awsat that Americans were present at the interrogation of a number of group members recently arrested for preparing to go fight in Iraq. Khaled Abdel Naby denied that his group was training men to go to Iraq, saying "until now we have no activity." He also denied receiving any support from the Yemeni regime. There were unconfirmed reports about a government program that aims to include former members of jihadist groups in the army after giving them proper training. (Asharq al Awsat)

U.K.

Intelligence Lessons of 7/7

A cross-party committee of MPs investigating the intelligence failure to stop the London bombings of July 2005 has blamed it on a lack of resources, rather than on any error of judgement. (BBC)

U.S.

Church Sex Abuse Costs Rise Despite Drop in New Allegations

U.S. dioceses spent $399M last year on legal settlements despite drop in new allegations. (Washington Post)

First Amendment Issues Raised About Espionage Act

The federal judge overseeing prosecution of two former lobbyists charged with receiving and transmitting national defense information under the 1917 Espionage Act has given the government until today to respond to defense claims that the statute is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad and may violate the First Amendment. (Washington Post)

NO PROOF AL ZAWAHRI WAS IN LODI

Government Admits Informant Erred In Saying Bin Laden Aide Was In Lodi, Calif.

Prosecutors in a terror-related trial in California admit there's no evidence a top Osama bin Laden aide was in the small town of Lodi (LOH'-dy) when their star witness says he was. (WAVY)

9/11 FINAL CALLS

Families Making Some Painful '9/11' Calls Public

City fighting order to name those who reached 9-1-1 dispatchers on Sept. 11. (WABC)

Video: 9/11 The Final Calls
(ABC News)

PREVENTABLE DISEASE

Preventable Disease Blinds Poor in Third World

An estimated 70 million people are infected with trachoma, and two million are blind because of it. (NY Times)

NEW ORLEANS REBUILDING

Levee Repair Costs Triple

New Orleans May Lack Full Protection (Washington Post)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

The Men Who Got Away

Ten years after the end of the war in Bosnia, the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II, FRONTLINE/World reporter Jennifer Glasse travels to Bosnia, Serbia and the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague looking for answers to why the two men most responsible -- former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic and his top general Ratko Mladic -- are still at large. (Frontline World)

The Man Who Knew

John O'neil, the FBI's man on al Qaeda warned of its threat. But his maverick style doomed his career. (Frontline)

There is No Civil War in Iraq: Here is Why

My notes show that, since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003m the question has risen once every two months. Having made the cover of almost every major news magazine, it has also been the theme of countless television and radio programmes in Europe and the United States. (Asharq al Awsat)

Hold the Line

The calm in Tall Afar doesn't mean U.S. troops can leave, it means they must stay put. (LA Times)

Courage in Coverage

Reporters are risking their lives in Iraq to tell Americans what we need to know, not what we want to hear. (Washington Post)

The Insider Daily Investigative Report (DIR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to investigative news, including international terrorism and developments in Iraq. The DIR is edited daily from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman and Ellen Gustafson of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.