World
Iraq Hangs 21 ‘Terrorism’ Convicts ?Sources
Iraq executed 21 men convicted of “terrorism” Monday at the notorious Nasiriyah prison in the country’s south, medical and police sources said.
The Iraqi men from various provinces had all been convicted under a 2005 Counter-Terrorism Law, which carries the death penalty, but there were no details on their specific crimes.
They were hanged in Nasiriyah prison in Dhi Qar province, the only one in Iraq that carries out capital punishment.
It is known for holding condemned ex-officials of the Saddam Hussein regime, which was toppled by the 2003 US-led invasion.
Saddam himself was hanged in December, 2006.
Iraqis fearfully refer to Nasiriyah jail as Al-Hut, or the whale, a vast prison complex that “swallows people up”.
Since declaring the Islamic State group defeated in late 2017, Iraq has condemned hundreds of its own citizens to death for membership in the jihadist faction.
But only a small proportion of the sentences have been carried out, as they must be approved by the country’s president, currently Barham Saleh.
Police sources confirmed to AFP that Saleh had signed off on Monday’s executions.
Iraq’s courts have also tried dozens of foreign nationals for alleged IS membership, condemning 11 French citizens and one Belgian national to death.
Those sentences have not been carried out.
Iraq ranks fifth among countries that carry out death sentences, according to Amnesty International, which documented 100 executions in the country in 2019.
That amounts to one out of seven executions across the world last year.
Amnesty and other advocacy groups accuse Iraq’s justice system of corruption, of carrying out rushed trials using circumstantial evidence and failing to allow the accused a proper defence or access to lawyers.
They also condemn cramped conditions in detention centres, where cells built to hold around 20 detainees are often packed with 50, a source working in the jails told AFP.
Those arrested for petty crimes are often held with hardened jihadists, which has facilitated radicalisation in the past, experts said.
Iraq’s government has declined to provide figures on detention centres or prisoners, including how many are facing terrorism-related charges, although some studies estimate 20,000 are being held for purported IS links.
Some facilities have shut down in recent years, including Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib complex that became infamous for prisoner abuse during the US-led occupation.
Others were rocked by riots and prison breaks that allowed detainees accused of “terrorism” to escape.
Many women whose husbands, brothers or sons were suspected jihadist fighters still live in displacement camps around the country.
They have very little freedom of movement, even to access health care or schooling for their children, with NGOs condemning the settlements as “prison camps”.
Pope Francis expressed concern about “the increasingly concrete threat of a world war at a New Year’s reception for foreign ambassadors to the Holy See.
The head of the Catholic Church called on diplomats to engage in dialogue, even with difficult interlocutors.
Dialogue he said is the only way to break the chains of hatred and vengeance that bind and to defuse the explosive power of human selfishness, pride and arrogance, which is the root of every destructive determination to wage war.
He said his wish for 2025 was for the war in Ukraine to end, and repeated his appeal for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
The 88-year-old pontiff also warned of the dangers of the spread of fake news, which not only distorts facts but also perceptions.
“This phenomenon generates false images of reality, a climate of suspicion that foments hate, undermines people’s sense of security and compromises civil coexistence and the stability of entire nations,” he said.
Since 2013, Pope Francis has been the leader not only of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, but also the head of the Vatican City State.
The smallest state in the world maintains diplomatic relations with 184 countries.
United States President Joe Biden has promised Israel “ironclad” United States support amid fears that Tehran could launch reprisals for an attack that killed senior Iranians.
Mr Biden warned that Iran is threatening to launch a “significant attack” after Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Syria 10 days ago.
“We’re going to do all we can to protect Israel’s security,” he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s leader said the Israeli attack in Damascus was equivalent to an attack on Iran itself.
“When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech.
“The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.” It is not yet clear what form any reprisal attack would take.
For Iran to strike Israel directly would risk an even greater escalation in the conflict, and analysts have said Iran does not have the military capability for a significant confrontation.
A possible alternative is an attack via an Iranian proxy like Hezbollah, which frequently carries out smaller strikes on Israel from neighbouring Lebanon.
Yesterday an Iranian official warned Israel’s embassies were “no longer safe”, suggesting a consulate building could be a possible target.
Experts have also suggested Iran could target Israel with a cyber attack.
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Thirteen people were killed in the 1 April attack on the Iranian consulate building, including senior Iranian military leaders.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but is widely considered to have been behind it.
United States and Israeli forces in the region have been put on high alert in the days since.
Mr Biden’s remarks came as he was speaking to journalists at the White House last Wednesday alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad — let me say it again, ironclad,” Mr Biden said.
His comments come one day after Mr Biden, in an interview, called for a ceasefire in Gaza and said he disagreed with Mr Netanyahu’s war strategy.
“I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” he said in an interview with Univision that was recorded a week ago.
It also comes nearly a week after a tense phone call between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu in the wake of the Israeli killing of seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza.
Mr Biden has sharpened his rhetoric over Israel’s conduct in the nearly six-month-old war sparked by Hamas’s 7 October attack, and voiced his growing frustration with Mr Netanyahu.
US officials have been attempting to send a message to the Iranians that, despite differences of opinion between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu, any attack on Israel will met with an aggressive US response.
In an effort to ease tensions, the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iraq spoke to their Iranian counterpart this week, according to Axios.
The Ministers were asked to convey a message from Mr Biden’s senior Middle East advisor, Brett McGurk, about the need to de-escalate.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, more than 33,000 people – mostly women and children – have been killed in the Israeli incursion.
The conflict was sparked by Hamas’s killing of more than 1,200 people in Israel and the taking of 253 hostages in its October attack.
Compiled by King Onunwor
Officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have excelled and emerged the best at the just-concluded United Stated Special Programme for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR) team mission at Amman, Jordan.
The training, which commenced on March 10, 2024, and concluded on April 3, 2024, was designed to enhance the team’s skills in responding to various emergencies and tactical situations.
The programme was conducted by the US Navy Seals and covered a wide range of topics, including several tactical drills and assessments, ensuring a well-rounded and thorough learning experience.
Speaking at the end of the training, the Nigeria team lead, Squadron Commander 23PMF, ACP Itse Daniel Amah,.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the journey of our 20 brave Mobile Police officers attached to the US Consulate General, Lagos, who have completed a course offered by the SPEAR on protection of national leadership tactical support team (PNLTST), here in Jordan International Policing Training “, he said
Officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have excelled and emerged the best at the just-concluded US Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR) team mission at Amman, Jordan.
The training, which commenced on March 10, 2024, and concluded on April 3, 2024, was designed to enhance the team’s skills in responding to various emergencies and tactical situations.
The programme was conducted by the US Navy Seals and covered a wide range of topics, including several tactical drills and assessments, ensuring a well-rounded and thorough learning experience.
“This feat is not just a demonstration of their commitment and hard work but also a reflection of the solid and enduring partnership between Nigeria and the United States.
“On behalf of the IGP Kayode Egbetokun, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the United States government and, in particular, the US Consulate General, Lagos, for their unwavering support and dedication to this program. The SPEAR initiative is a shining example of how collaboration between nations can enhance peace and security, not just for our respective countries but for the global community.
“The training our officers have received is invaluable and will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their mission to protect diplomatic personnel and ensure the safety of our leaders. As they return to their duties, I am confident that they will apply the skills and knowledge gained here to make a positive impact and continues to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.”
Also, Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said: “the NPF is incredibly proud of these gallant men for their commitment and hard work throughout the training program as they were lauded as the best set to ever be trained.
“This achievement not only demonstrates their dedication to professional growth but also strengthens the capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force towards improved service delivery and sustainable national security and safety.”
“This feat is not just a demonstration of their commitment and hard work but also a reflection of the solid and enduring partnership between Nigeria and the United States.
“On behalf of the IGP Kayode Egbetokun, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the United States government and, in particular, the US Consulate General, Lagos, for their unwavering support and dedication to this program. The SPEAR initiative is a shining example of how collaboration between nations can enhance peace and security, not just for our respective countries but for the global community.
“The training our officers have received is invaluable and will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their mission to protect diplomatic personnel and ensure the safety of our leaders. As they return to their duties, I am confident that they will apply the skills and knowledge gained here to make a positive impact and continues to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.”
“This achievement not only demonstrates their dedication to professional growth but also strengthens the capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force towards improved service delivery and sustainable national security and safety”.