Guns for Iraqi police land with al-Qaida

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

LONDON, March 19 (UPI) -- Thousands of British-supplied weapons intended for Iraqi police have turned up in the hands of al-Qaida terrorists, a report says. In London, the British Parliament wants to know why. The London Observer said its investigation showed a deal approved by ministers to export 20,318 semi-automatic pistols to Iraq instead went to arm supporters of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq. The report said there was no evidence of special checks in place to prevent the guns from reaching insurgents. The House of Commons committee overseeing arms sales said it would be seeking answers from Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. "The failure [of the coalition authorities] to monitor properly the end-user for the shipment could prove to be criminally negligent," MP Adam Price said. The Beretta deal was instigated by the United States which wanted weaponry to arm the Iraqi police and the London-based Super Vision International was brought into the picture, the report said.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/?fee...in-alqaida.xml

[jose]

Critics said the revelations raised damaging questions over Britain's role in exporting arms to Iraq.

Anti-war activists even claimed in Saturday's demonstration in central London that the companies involved in the deals were supporting both sides of confronting military groups in Iraq to make chaos in the warring country, so that the U.S. and British governments could justify keeping their military presence in the country.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_4319380.htm

[Osborn F Enready]

Come on Jose, that would fit too well into that international conspiracy that doesn't exist!

LOL

[zynner]

LOL.

Looks like the Keystone Cops continue their "march for freedom."

(Just wish they wouldn't stumble so much in their goosestep marching. Geesh...)

~ zynner

[SteveA]

How amazing is this - we went around door to door in Iraq disarming people, who were likely part of the 99%+ that weren't fighting against us, and then instead we hand weapons to the guys we're suppose to be fighting (while probably pissing off a lot of the ones that would have been able to help us).