SUNNI, Shia and Kurdish leaders united to condemn US troops after they arrested one of Iraq’s most prominent Sunni politicians [Monday], even as the new Government seeks to ease tensions with the alienated religious minority.
The Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) protested that Mohsin Abdul Hamid, its leader, was led away with a bag over his head by US forces who stormed his Baghdad house at dawn, but released him hours later apologising for having made a “mistake”. Mr Hamid’s party was among those that boycotted last January’s elections, but seeks to participate in drafting a constitution, and may contest further elections in December.
His supporters seized upon the arrest of such a high-profile Sunni as evidence that the US is not serious about winning over the country’s Sunnis, who formed the bedrock of Saddam Hussein’s support.
Tariq al-Hashimi, the secretary-general of the IIP, claimed that US soldiers broke down doors, took away a computer and also arrested three of Mr Hamid’s sons and eight guards, shooting one.[...]
Standing before a sign calling for “explusion of the occupiers”, he also claimed that a translator with the US forces taunted Mr Hamid, a former member of the US-appointed governing council, saying: “Why didn’t you participate in the elections? This is your fate.”
[...]
One senior US official conceded that the arrest “wasn’t terribly well planned” and said: “I don’t think they knew who they had, frankly.”
Following his release, Abdul-Hamid told reporters how ``U.S. special forces'' blew open the doors to his home ``and dragged (his sons and guards) outside like sheep.''
``They forced me to lay on the ground along with my sons and guards and one of the soldiers put his foot on my neck for 20 minutes,'' he told Al-Jazeera TV.
Soldiers later put him into a helicopter and flew him to an unknown location for more questioning, he said. He said he did not know the whereabouts of his sons and guards.
``At the time when the Americans say they are keen on real Sunni participation, they are now arresting the head of the only Sunni party that calls for a peaceful solution and have participated in the political process,'' said Iraqi Islamic Party Secretary-General Ayad al-Samarei.
Abdul-Hamid's party had in recent weeks taken steps to become more involved in the political process after boycotting the Jan. 30 parliamentary elections, which were dominated by parties drawn from Iraq's majority Shiite population. AP article
Abdul Hamid rejected the apology given by the American forces. He said that everyone knows the location of his house, regretting the justifications given by the American forces to that. He added that his party will not stop demanding the pull out of the occupation forces from Iraq and called on the Iraqi government to defend his dignity and to restore back his insulted honor.
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