Juan Cole reports:
The chief judge in the Shiite shrine city of Najaf was kidnapped Monday, taken to the desert, and executed gangland style with bullets through his head. Judge Muhan Jabr al-Shuwaili had been in charge of investigating former Baath Party members and government employees in the region. Najaf prosecutor-general Aref Aziz was kidnapped with al-Shuwaili and reported, ""One of the assailants said 'Saddam has ordered your prosecution.' Then they fired two shots into his head," Aziz said. "As for me, they told me ‘this does not concern you’. They released me," he added."
Al-Shuwaili had backed a commission to investigate the crimes of former Baathists, which has already issued 160 warrants, resulting in 50 actual arrests.
There had been reports last week that some US officers in Iraq believe that Saddam is personally directing some guerrilla operations in Iraq. I have for some time thought that Saddam may have personally been behind the assassination of his old enemy, Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim, on Aug. 29. If Aref's report of the fate of al-Shuwaili is accurate, it supports this interpretation of events. It is also a pretty scary thought.
At this rate, it may be increasingly difficult for the US to find Iraqis willing to work with it as officials.
The good news just keeps on rolling in.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
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