US Lets Iraqi Kidnappers Go Free

I am sure you remember the consternation with which news that the Italians paid ransoms for kidnapped citizens was greeted. Much was made of how these payments would end up helping terrorists buy guns and explosives to kill US soldiers. Italy was signing death warrants for brave Americans...

Well, how about the brave Iraquis who are getting kidnapped, mostly by criminal gangs out to make money it turns out - not terrorists at all. Shouldn't they get some protection?

Not as far as the US is concerned, it seems. The Independent on Sunday has revealed that US intelligence and military police officers in Iraq are routinely freeing dangerous criminals in return for a promise to spy on insurgents:

"The Americans are allowing the breakdown of Iraqi society because they are only interested in fighting the insurgency," said a senior Iraqi police officer. "We are dealing with an epidemic of kidnapping, extortion and violent crime, but even though we know the Americans monitor calls on mobiles and satellite phones, which are often used in ransom negotiations, they will not pass on any criminal intelligence to us. They only want to use the information against insurgents."

An Iraqi government source confirmed that criminal suspects were often released if they agreed to inform on insurgents, despite the dangers to ordinary Iraqis. The Iraqi middle class has been heavily targeted by kidnappers since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Many doctors, a favourite target, and businessmen have fled to Syria, Jordan and Egypt. The police admit that they have been unable to do anything to stop the wave of abductions.

In one documented case, Dr Thamir Mohammed Ali Hasafa al-Kaisey was seized by a gang of 11 kidnappers in three cars as he drove home from his clinic in Baghdad. Luckily for the good Doc, the kidnappers ran into a police roadblock and were captured after a shoot-out. They made full confessions to a jubilant Iraqui police team who now had detailled information on other kidnappers.

But US military police took over custody of the two men and let them go. The doctor had to flee to Egypt after being threatened by the gang.

The police station where the men were held recorded that they had been handed over to an American military police lieutenant for transfer to the US-run Camp Cuervo detention centre. But an American military spokesman told the IoS that there was no record of the two prisoners in their database.

Is there any chance the American political right will shout as long and hard about this travesty of justice? Will any reflect on their words about Italian kidnappings in the light of this news? Will any admit that criminals like these make very poor spys? A very few will, but for most the fact that Iraqis just aren't Americans will ensure that double-standards will continue to be the rule rather than the exception.

It may not exactly be racism, but it's close.