Gunmen have abducted a large number of people from a research institute belonging to Iraq's higher education ministry. The report of the number taken
is conflicting, but at least 100 seems to be agreed upon, though some sources set it as high as 150. The motive of the kidnapping is unclear as some
reports say both Sunnis and Shias were among the abducted. What seems confirmed is that the abductors wore uniforms of the Shia-dominated interior
ministry.
The news was brought by the head of the parliamentary education committee, Alaa Makki, who interrupted a televised parliamentary session and urged the
prime minister and interior and defence ministers to respond rapidly to what he called a "national catastrophe".
www.guardian.co.uk
Mr Makki said the gunmen had a list of names of those to be abducted, and claimed to be on a mission from the government's anti-corruption body. The
kidnapped included the institute's deputy general directors, employees and visitors.
A female professor, who was visiting the institute as the kidnappings happened, said the gunmen forced men and women into separate rooms. The men were
then handcuffed and herded on to around six pickup trucks.
The gunmen - some of them masked - wore blue camouflage uniforms of the kind used by police commandos. The women were not kidnapped, but had their
mobile phones taken from them.
Shia militias and other illegal groups frequently use stolen or forged uniforms and IDs while committing murders and kidnappings.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Murders and assaults on Iraqi professors and researchers have become common-day practice adding to the concerns about the reduction of the number of
experts in the country. Within a few weeks, a university dean and a prominent Sunni geologist have been killed, and the death toll among education
professionals are now at least 155 since the war began in 2003.
A relatively small figure compared to the total number of victims. But that academics now are singled out is none the less worrying, if anything else
but barbarians and fanatics are ever to rule that blood-drenched country.
Often the educated are picked out for their known views on controversial issues, seen as unacceptable in a climate of deepening Islamic
fundamentalism. A similar incident took place in July, when gunmen seized around 30 people from an Iraqi Olympics committee meeting. Only six were
later released.
Whether these people, professors, deans, assistents and ordinary students among them are to turn up mutilated and killed only time will show.
Sad to say, I don't give them much hope, as the reports clearly state only men were kidnapped. Brain depletion, eradication of knowledge is the
agenda when ignorants want the power. So sad.
Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk
[edit on 14-11-2006 by khunmoon]
[edit on 14-11-2006 by khunmoon]
[edit on 14-11-2006 by khunmoon]
[edit on 14-11-2006 by khunmoon]
