posted May 16, 2008 09:35 AM            

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Pentagon: Children Used in Iraqi Homicide Bombing

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

WASHINGTON — Iraqi insurgents appear to have adopted a new tactic since the start of a security crackdown in Baghdad, using children in a suicide attack on Sunday, a senior Pentagon official said Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Michael Barbero, deputy director for regional operations on the Joint Staff, told reporters that a vehicle was waved through a U.S. military checkpoint because two children were visible in the back seat.

"Children in the back seat lowered suspicion, (so) we let it move through, they parked the vehicle, the adults run out and detonate it with the children in the back," Barbero said.

"The brutality and ruthless nature of this enemy hasn't changed."

Other officials said later that three Iraqi bystanders were killed in the attack near a marketplace in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of al-Adamiyah, in addition to the two children, and seven people were injured.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, confirmed Barbero's account but said he couldn't provide more details.

An Iraqi police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concern, said witnesses had reported seeing two children inside the car before it exploded. He said eight civilians were killed and 28 others wounded in the attack in the predominantly Shiite northern neighborhood of Shaab.

Barbero said this was the first reported use of children in a homicide car bombing in Baghdad.

However, the police officer also said three other cases had been registered since last year in which women and children were used in parked car bombings, although they reportedly got out of the autos before the explosions in those cases.

The U.S. military has warned that insurgents are proving adaptable and finding new ways to bypass stepped up security measures and kill as many people as possible. A series of bombings using toxic chlorine since Jan. 28 also raised concerns.

posted May 16, 2008 09:35 AM            

Kidnapped children used for terrorist attacks: Interior Ministry

Mar 29, 2007, 9:35 GMT

Baghdad/Riyadh - Terrorist groups in Iraq use children and mentally-ill people for suicide attacks, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said Thursday.

Most of the children were kidnapped by the extremists, Abdul Karim al-Kanani, director of the Department for Special Operations told the Arab newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat.

The children are especially used for attacks with car bombs, 'because parked cars with children sitting in them usually do not get searched,' al-Kanani said.

During raids, police had discovered houses where kidnapped children were held captive, he added.

Last week a US general in Baghdad said that terrorist groups in the capital's Adhamiya district were using children as suicide attackers for the first time.

According to al-Kanani, extremists had been abusing children as suicide bombers in Iraq as early as 2005.

posted May 16, 2008 09:36 AM            

(AFPS) One child was killed and another was injured when terrorists used them as human shields during coalition forces raids of three terrorist safe houses in Mosul, Iraq's third largest city, officials in Baghdad reported.

Based on tips from concerned citizens and multiple intelligence sources, coalition forces raided two suspected safe houses to capture known terrorists operating in Mosul. The terrorists were believed to have senior al Qaeda connections in the city and northern Iraq, officials said.

When coalition forces entered the first terrorist safe house, three terrorists attacked with small-arms fire. Coalition forces returned fire, killing two terrorists and wounding another.

During the firefight, one of the terrorists used a small child to shield himself as he fired on coalition forces. The child was slightly wounded during the exchange of gunfire. The child and wounded terrorist were evacuated and are being treated at a local field hospital. Both are expected to recover from their wounds, officials noted.

Coalition forces then moved to a second suspected terrorist safe house, where they were again met with small-arms fire. They killed one terrorist, and several other terrorists fled the safe house into a third house nearby, where coalition forces killed four more terrorists, officials reported.

The coalition forces did not see one of the terrorists pick up a small child as he was fleeing the second safe house. During the firefight, the hostage-holding terrorist was shot. The same bullet that killed him also killed the child as it exited the terrorist's body, officials said.

Weapons, ammunition, grenades and rocket-propelled-grenade rounds were found in the second terrorist safe house, as well as in a vehicle that was parked outside. Coalition forces consolidated everything in the vehicle and destroyed it and its contents before leaving the site, officials noted. In other news from Iraq, Task Force Liberty soldiers discovered several weapons caches while conducting operations in rural fields and ruins on the outskirts of Kirkuk.

The unit found 18 mortar and artillery rounds, a rocket-propelled grenade, rocket-propelled-grenade propellant, a hand grenade and fuses. Explosives ordnance personnel destroyed the sites. Iraqi forces from the 1st Battalion, 1st Public Order Brigade, and coalition troops discovered a cache of bomb-making material and detained a man during a presence patrol Sept. 19 in central Fallujah.

The cache included nine hand grenades, six mortar increments, one hand-held radio, an anti-tank round, a 6-inch block of TNT, two large fireworks and various fuses, blasting caps, electrical components and timers. The suspect is being held pending further investigation.

In the air war over Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 46 close-air-support and armed-reconnaissance sorties in support of ground troops Sept. 20. These missions included infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Coalition aircraft also supported Iraqi and coalition ground forces operations to create a secure environment for ongoing Transitional National Assembly meetings, officials said.

U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close air support to coalition troops near Mansiyah, Suwayrah and Ash Shargat.

Twelve Air Force and Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.

posted May 16, 2008 09:38 AM            

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Arab TV network airs Iraqi children trained as terrorists

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Baghdad, 07 February 2008 (Gulf News)

Arab television Al Arabiya on Wednesday aired a purported videotape by Al Qaida showing Iraqi children being trained for terrorist acts in Diyalah.

The Iraq children, wearing black outfits and aged between 10 and 12, are shown brandishing rifles and stopping a man on a bicycle in mock acts of abduction and robbery.

Another scene on the video shows children stopping a car and carrying out an act of kidnapping while shouting at passengers.

Al Arabiya said the weapons and rockets used in the training were real.

Diyala, east of Baghdad, is a haven for Sunni extremist insurgency and groups with links to Al Qaida.

posted May 16, 2008 09:39 AM            

25 April 2008

AMMAN - Iraqi children are being recruited as suicide bombers by various militias and insurgent groups, a UN official said on Friday after a fact-finding visit to the country.

"Since 2004, an increasing number of children have been recruited into various militias and insurgent groups, including as suicide bombers," Radhika Coomaraswamy told a news conference in the Jordanian capital.

"It is an intolerable situation," said Coomaraswamy, special representative of the secretary general for children and armed conflict.

Winding up a week-long visit to Iraq, she said children there are the silent victims of the ongoing violence in the country, with approximately 1,500 "known to be held in detention facilities."

"Many of them no longer go to school, many are recruited for violent activities or detained in custody, they lack access to the most basic services and manifest a wide range of psychological symptoms from the violence in their everyday lives"

She said only 50 percent of primary school children are attending school, down from 80 percent in 2005. Only 40 percent have access to clean drinking water and there is a continuing possibility of outbreaks of cholera.

She called on religious, political, military and community leaders to send one clear message to Iraqi children: "Stay out of violence and go back to school."

posted May 16, 2008 09:51 AM              

It only creates more problems.

It only makes people even more determined to resist.

The feeling is so widespread....it can never be overcome simply by killing.

posted May 16, 2008 10:53 AM            

Always silent on the perpetrators of terror. Those who deliberately target non combatant civilians in attacks intended to cause their deaths.

posted May 16, 2008 11:07 AM              

- Tolstoy

"Forgive them, they know not what they do"

posted May 16, 2008 12:15 PM              

The intuitive mind and the rational mind, in any case, must be brought together as ONE.

posted May 16, 2008 01:41 PM            

Sometimes a Big Brother in all his strength is needed to protect the innocent children. In your world you would allow the innocent children to perish, complain about their abusers but be content to let it happen as long at America doesn't get involved.

posted May 16, 2008 01:49 PM            

Your passive acceptance of the murderous tactics of terrorists...passive because you never ever bring that subject up, nor condemn them...coupled with your relentless attacks on the United States and the US military; those brand you for exactly what you are.

It's not your intuition which is working overtime LTT. It's your pursuit of a politically driven agenda in overdrive as you attempt moral equivalence and spiritual connectedness between terrorist nations and terrorists with the United States and the US military.

posted May 16, 2008 02:59 PM              

Besides the obvious physical harm these b*stards are willfully and purposefully putting the children in, the pyschological and spiritual damage done to them is staggering to contemplate. We've seen this done to Palestinian children for decades and it breaks my heart. They're situation is difficult enough w/o adults filling their little minds with hate and bitterness. And the world wonders why peace is so hard to find.

I don't think that these children will experience the karma of any death or harm that might result from their actions. The ones that incite them, that cajole them, that threaten them will pay the price.

And some of them do this in the name of God and the Prophets .. I just don't understand.

posted May 16, 2008 03:16 PM              

quote:

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"Hate the Soldier, Blame America and protect the terrorist"

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posted May 16, 2008 05:06 PM            

So, maybe it is better you dont discuss it because perception is everything. HOOAAHH!!

posted May 16, 2008 05:16 PM            

Everyone has a right to say their peace, even if it goes against your philosophy. I understand the military background you are coming from, but your duty and accomplishments in the military help to protect the freedom of speech that LTT is exerting.

Please never ask someone to be silent, know that LTT feels as much anger as you do in this conflict.

I agree with you LTT, hatred and destruction beget more hatred and destruction. This is universal law. Like begets like. The world needs a complete overhaul on what it deems to be "peace keeping." Interventions need to take place before things escalate out of control. The united states military industrial complex is an economic institution, but they do take care of their own. Well, except for that armor business.

posted May 16, 2008 06:29 PM            

"So, maybe it is better you dont discuss it because perception is everything"...Bear the Leo

So, Bear the Leo merely agrees with LTT and you Blue accuse Bear of trying to silence LTT?

As for whom some of you have compassion for, it's sure not our military personnel and it sure as hell isn't any Iraqi civilian killed by Hussein or the terrorists in Iraq. Get off that nonsense. There isn't a word on this forum to support that contention.

Now, let's discuss one of leftists most favorite sappy sayings. War only begats more war. So OK, the US and allies fought a war against Germany, Italy and Japan.

Here's your big chance. All you need do is post the war(s) begat by the parties involved in WWII...you know, show me when Germany or Japan or Italy fought another war with the US, Britain or Australia after WWII.

Sappy little saying aren't much upon which to base one's philosophy.

posted May 16, 2008 06:35 PM            

I have compassion for you too Jwhop.

posted May 16, 2008 10:06 PM            

I think there's an equally big difference between forgiving someone's individuality (or Spirit) for the harm they've done in this life and making excuses or trying to justify that person's actions which will always be inexcusable and unjustifiable.

posted May 16, 2008 11:58 PM            

quote:

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I think there's a big difference between having compassion for someone who has suffered and feeling pity for the devolution of the twisted soul that caused the pain.

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I have compassion for both. Compassion implies a want to alleviate the suffering of a human being. Everyone suffers, those who harm others are highly misguided. They need to be educated and have their ignorance removed. For every twisted soul there is a twisted set of circumstances and a twisted set of genes. Perhaps even some twisted karma. Instead of blame we should enfold, educate, isolate, or rehabilitate.

quote:

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I think there's an equally big difference between forgiving someone's individuality (or Spirit) for the harm they've done in this life and making excuses or trying to justify that person's actions which will always be inexcusable and unjustifiable.

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I would never suggest that justice not be done. How that justice is executed, however, is up for discussion. For instance, I do not believe hanging Saddam Hussein was necessary. Killing always begets more killing. Making an example of someone by killing only signifies to people that the government condones the morality of murder.

quote:

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Onion this, onion that. Onions are taking over! I'll be making pico de gallo for now.

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