Basra crisis talks as tension rises over civilian deaths (UK)

[sabra]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1790836,00.html

Basra crisis talks as tension rises over civilian deaths

Ibrahim Jaafari, the Iraqi Prime Minister, will visit London today for urgent talks on the growing unrest facing British forces in southern Iraq.

Mr Jaafari will stop off on his way back from a United Nations meeting in New York to see John Reid, the Defence Secretary, just two days after UK troops blasted into a Basra jail and militia house to free two captured SAS soldiers.

Top of the agenda will be the infiltration of the Iraqi police by insurgent militias, a problem highlighted by the Basra incident and openly admitted yesterday by a senior Iraqi official.

Dr Mouwafak al-Rubaie, Iraq's National Security Adviser, told BBC Two's Newsnight: "Our Iraqi security forces in general, police in particular, in many parts of Iraq, I have to admit, have been penetrated by some of the insurgents, some of the terrorists as well.

[Justice]

1. Southern Iraq - the safe zone

no more

[0007]

2. This one is gonna be nasty!

"Around 500 demonstrators, including many police officers in uniform, gathered outside Basra police headquarters, shouting "No to occupation!" and carrying banners demanding that the two SAS men - accused of killing an Iraqi police officer before their capture - be tried in Iraq as terrorists."

[sabra]

3. more: Iraqi police protest after British raid in Basra

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21228834.htm

Iraqi police protest after British raid in Basra

BASRA, Iraq, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Iraqi police staged an angry anti-British protest in Basra on Wednesday as London and Baghdad sought to quell tension over a British raid to free soldiers held by militiamen in the southern city.

About 200 policemen who work at the police station damaged during the British raid marched through the streets, calling for the city police chief to be fired and for the "British terrorists" to be returned to Iraqi jurisdiction.

The Iraqi government said in a statement there was no crisis with Britain, but senior Iraqi officials have castigated the raid, with Basra province governor calling it a "barbaric act".

"Both governments are in close contact, and an inquiry will be conducted by the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior into the incident," a statement from Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari's office said. It also urged calm on all sides.