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Well-Known Member
Tue March 11, 2003 01:39 PM ET
By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American intelligence has learned the Iraqi government is threatening civilians in southern Iraq with death if they cooperate with U.S. forces in a war, defense officials said on Tuesday, in the latest allegations by Washington in a battle of words with Baghdad.
The United States is insisting that Iraq should rid itself of alleged chemical and biological weapons and President Bush has vowed to lead a coalition to disarm President Saddam Hussein if necessary.
The U.S. defense officials, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters information had been obtained that Baghdad had told civilians in southern Iraq to kill U.S. paratroopers if they land in the region. But the officials refused to say how the information had been obtained because it would "compromise sources and methods of intelligence."
"U.S. officials have learned that the Iraqi regime has told Iraqi civilians to kill U.S. paratroopers who land in southern Iraq," said one of the officials.
"They were told that if the Iraqis did not kill the paratroopers, the Iraqi military would attack the area where they landed and kill the Iraqis who were there along with the paratroopers," the official added.
"The regime also said that if any Iraqis aided the U.S. paratroopers, their families would be executed after the war."
The Defense Department has also accused Iraq of preparing to set its own oil fields on fire and possibly destroy other civilian infrastructure in any U.S.-led invasion and blame the "scorched earth" policy on the attackers.
Iraq denied on Monday that it had any plans to set fire to oil fields in northern and southern parts of the country.
The U.S. Central Command, which would head any U.S. war effort in Iraq, charged last week that Saddam had ordered uniforms replicating those worn by U.S. and British troops and will issue them to paramilitary fighters who would attack Iraqi civilians and blame it on Western forces.
A command spokesman said in a statement that U.S. intelligence had obtained the information, but refused to say how such intelligence was gathered or provide any details.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2362657
By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American intelligence has learned the Iraqi government is threatening civilians in southern Iraq with death if they cooperate with U.S. forces in a war, defense officials said on Tuesday, in the latest allegations by Washington in a battle of words with Baghdad.
The United States is insisting that Iraq should rid itself of alleged chemical and biological weapons and President Bush has vowed to lead a coalition to disarm President Saddam Hussein if necessary.
The U.S. defense officials, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters information had been obtained that Baghdad had told civilians in southern Iraq to kill U.S. paratroopers if they land in the region. But the officials refused to say how the information had been obtained because it would "compromise sources and methods of intelligence."
"U.S. officials have learned that the Iraqi regime has told Iraqi civilians to kill U.S. paratroopers who land in southern Iraq," said one of the officials.
"They were told that if the Iraqis did not kill the paratroopers, the Iraqi military would attack the area where they landed and kill the Iraqis who were there along with the paratroopers," the official added.
"The regime also said that if any Iraqis aided the U.S. paratroopers, their families would be executed after the war."
The Defense Department has also accused Iraq of preparing to set its own oil fields on fire and possibly destroy other civilian infrastructure in any U.S.-led invasion and blame the "scorched earth" policy on the attackers.
Iraq denied on Monday that it had any plans to set fire to oil fields in northern and southern parts of the country.
The U.S. Central Command, which would head any U.S. war effort in Iraq, charged last week that Saddam had ordered uniforms replicating those worn by U.S. and British troops and will issue them to paramilitary fighters who would attack Iraqi civilians and blame it on Western forces.
A command spokesman said in a statement that U.S. intelligence had obtained the information, but refused to say how such intelligence was gathered or provide any details.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2362657