Thread: Iraq/Dinar News Until 5/3/07 Midnight CST.

Saudis foil 'air attack plotters'

Saudi TV broadcast footage of various types of weapons

Saudi Arabia says it has foiled a plot by militants to carry out suicide air attacks on oil installations and military bases.
Foreign nationals were among 172 terror suspects held in a series of raids, the interior ministry said on state TV.
Large amounts of weapons and $32.4m (£16.21m) in cash were also seized.
The Saudi authorities have been battling al-Qaeda since a wave of bombings and shootings rocked the kingdom in 2003.
The attacks in 2003 and since have claimed the lives of nearly 300 security personnel, militants and Saudi and foreign civilians.
BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says the Saudis periodically claim to have crushed the insurgency but although they have shut down part of the network the persistence of the attacks suggests the problem is deep-rooted.
'Deviant group'
The Saudi authorities said the fresh plots it had foiled were at an advanced stage.
"Some [militants] have begun training on the use of weapons, and some were sent to other countries to study aviation in preparation to use them to carry out terrorist operations inside the kingdom," a ministry statement read out on state TV channel al-Ekhbaria said.
Some of the military targets were outside the kingdom, it added, without specifying where.


The station broadcast footage of various types of weapons, including plastic explosives, ammunition cartridges, handguns and rifles wrapped in plastic sheeting, which were said to have been buried in the desert.
Interior ministry spokesman Gen Mansur al-Turki said the suspects were "linked to foreign elements... not necessarily directly to al-Qaeda, but you know, there are many al-Qaeda and terrorism activities going on".
"The deviant group... takes advantage of trouble spots outside the kingdom in planning, recruitment and training," Gen Turki said, apparently referring to Iraq.
He added: "Some individuals were training to fly to carry out terrorist attacks... Some of the cells arrested planned to target oil installations and refineries."
Gen Turki said there were also plans to attack a prison and release the inmates.
Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi himself, has called for attacks against the oil-rich kingdom because of its close ties to the West.
Our correspondent, Roger Hardy, says many ordinary Saudis are appalled by the group's violent methods but some of the disaffected young or from part of the powerful Wahhabi religious establishment have offered support. Most of the 19 al-Qaeda militants who carried out the suicide plane attacks in the US in September 2001 were Saudis.

Lithuania expresses readiness to provide support for Kurdstan

(صوت العراق) - 27-04-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 27-04-2007

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فؤاد عثمان/ اربيل:

Fouad Othman / Irbil :

استقبل الدكتور كمال كركوكي نائب رئيس برلمان كوردستان اليوم الخميس في مكتبه الخاص بمبنى البرلمان وفدا لتوانيا ضم السادة كيدميناس راينس وكيل وزارة المالية اللتوانية وايكناس ستان كو.

Dr. Kamal Kerkuki met Deputy Prime Kurdstan Parliament today, Thursday, in his own Parliament Building a delegation to Lithuania included Messrs. Kidemenas Rains Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance and Lithuanian Aikhnas Stan Kuo.

في لقاء جرى عبر الوفد عن ارتياحهم وسرورهم بزيارة كوردستان التطورات التي شهدها الإقليم في المجالات كافة، معربين عن استعدادهم لبناء جسر للعلاقات الثنائية بين برلمان كوردستان وبرلمان لتوانيا من اجل قيام الجمهورية اللتوانية بتقديم المساعدة لإقليم كوردستان على الصعيد الدبلوماسي والسياسي والتجاري.

In a meeting across the delegation was satisfied and pleased with the visit Kurdstan developments in the province in all fields, and expressed willingness to build a bridge for bilateral relations between Kurdstan Parliament and the Parliament of Lithuania for the republic to provide assistance to the Lithuanian territory Kurdstan at diplomatic, political and commercial.

من جانبه وبعد ان رحب بالوفد قدم نائب رئيس برلمان كوردستان شكره للشعب والحكومة اللتوانية لكونهما من بين المشاركين في عملية تحرير العراق ضمن القوات المتعددة الجنسيات، واصفا مشاركتهم بالجريئة والصائبة لاسقاط ابشع مجرمي القرن في المنطقة وتحرير العراق من بطش وظل هذا النظام وبناء اللبنات الاساسية للديمقراطية وتأسيس حكومة مدنية في بلد حكمه النظام البائد بالحديد والنار.

For his part, welcomed the delegation after the Vice President of the Parliament of Kurdstan thanks to the people and the Lithuanian government for being one of the participants in the process of liberating Iraq within the multinational forces, describing their Balgeriah and wisdom to topple the worst criminals in the region and the Horn of liberating Iraq from the brutality of this regime and remained the building blocks of democracy and establishing government civil country wisdom of the defunct regime of blood and fire.

اشار في جانب آخر من اللقاء الدكتور كركوكي الى المسائل العالقة بين حكومة إقليم كوردستان والحكومة العراقية، واصفا تنفيذ المادة 140 من الدستور العراقي الذي صوت عليه 80% من الشعب العراقي هو الحل الامثل لحل مشاكل كركوك والمناطق المستقطعة من كوردستان، داعيا الوفد بان يكونوا من دعاة عدم التدخل في الشؤون الداخلية للعراق.

In another aspect of the meeting, Dr. Kerkuki to the outstanding issues between the government of Kurdstan region and the Iraqi government, describing the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution voted on by 80% of the Iraqi people is the best solution to solve the problems of Kirkuk and regions withheld from Kurdstan, calling delegation to be the advocates of non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs.

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

Al-Qaeda reportedly taking strongholds in Hamrin mountain
By Aasim Taha
Baaquba, 27 April 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

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Armed attacks and suicide operations targeting Iraqi army and Multi-National Force (MNF) positions have been recently on the rise in the cities and districts of Diala province.
Some reports claimed that members of al-Qaeda Organization in Iraq are trying to take Hamrin mountain and others areas in predominantly Sunni Diala as strongholds to set up training camps for Arab and foreign fighters.
This week Diala saw violent attacks targeting a U.S. position, killing nine soldiers and wounding 20 others in the worst attack on the American troops in more than a year.
Armed groups also attacked Iraqi police centers in Baaquba, capital of Diala province, 57 km north of Baghdad, on Monday, killed 10 and injuring 10 others, mostly policemen.
Also occurred were suicide bombings and explosive vehicle attacks in Baladruz, 80 km northeast of Baaquba, and in Habhab, 50 km north of Baghdad. The recent of those attacks were in al-Khalis district, 55 km north of Baghdad, on Thursday when a car rigged with explosives went off near a National Guard checkpoint, killing eight policemen and civilians and wounding 21 others.
Iraqi army and police forces and the MNF troops received information that "more than 150 al-Qaeda runaways from the Badosh prison in Mosul have arrived in Baaquba," a security source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) on condition of anonymity.
Armed men had attacked a prison in Badosh district, 20 km northwest of predominantly Shiite Ninawa province, in early March 2007 and, wielding power over the prison, helped more than 150 inmates serving penal terms to escape.
"Despite the recent attacks, the armed groups began to grow weak in several areas in Diala," said the source, explaining that the security operation in Diala as well as the assistance by tribal chiefs there "helped kill more than 125 members of al-Qaeda in Baladruz."
The Hamrin mountain ridge, a bumpy area with many caves, stretches from southwest Kirkuk by the borders with Salah al-Din province to Diala. The major part of this mountainous ridge falls under the administrative authority of Diala.
These areas, inhabited by families of mixed demographic nature – Arabs, Turkomans and Kurds, are open and offer easy infiltration into Iraq's neighboring countries.
"Al-Qaeda operatives, who have entered Iraq after 2003, have combat experience and received training to battles in Afghanistan by experienced commanders," an Iraqi military source who declined to be named told VOI.
Abu Nasser, a local resident in Baaquba, told VOI "the residents avoid using the Baghdad-Baaquba highway for fears of kidnapping or killing by armed groups spreading in those areas."
A survivor released by armed groups told VOI "last week they (members of those groups) killed more than 20 people clad in Iraqi army and police uniform before my eyes."
"There was a black banner reading 'Islamic State of Iraq' and members of those groups executed those Iraqis on the grounds that they were renegades loyal to the Americans and occupiers," the survivor said.

Basra council members vote against governor
By Malek Saadoun
Basra, 27 April 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

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Basra council members voted against Basra Governor Mohammed Mosbeh al-Waeli on Friday as a step to have him sacked, a member in the Basra province council said.
"Our (Basra Islamic) List denied confidence to the Basra governor in response to the masses' demand," a council member told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The Shiite Basra Islamic List, which encompasses the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), Badr Organization, Sayyid al-Shohadaa Movement, Tha'r Allah Party and independents loyal to Shiite top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has 19 seats in the Basra province council.
The member, who asked not to be named, said the List "submitted a petition to this effect to the Iraqi parliament and the central government in Baghdad."
Predominantly Shiite Basra, the second largest Iraqi city that lies 550 km south of Baghdad, has been witnessing security tensions recently as some political groups demanded the relief of Governor Waeli, who belongs to the Shiite al-Fadila (Virtue) Party, for charges of involvement in corruption and mismanagement.
Waeli responded by saying that the accusations were part of a "conspiracy" against him and the city of Basra.
Last Monday, a mass demonstration was staged in Basra province calling for the relief of Governor Waeli.
On Wednesday, the Iraqi parliament held an ordinary session headed by Dr Mahmud al-Mashhadani, where it discussed the security situation in Basra province in view of the mass demonstrations to call for the sacking of incumbent governor al-Waeli.

Iraq's power sector is $2.5bn a year short
27 April 2007 (Arabian Business)

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Iraq must lure between $2 billion and $2.5 billion per year in international aid and investment if it is to rebuild its devastated power sector, the country's electricity minister said on Wednesday.
The minister, Karim Hasan, was in London to enlist the help of energy companies including BP.
Power cuts are a daily occurrence, especially in the capital Baghdad, as a result of nearly three decades of war damage, poor maintenance because of sanctions and due to sabotage.
"We rebuild and they destroy every day," Hasan said, referring to the sabotage attacks.
He said he was seeking to protect the country's power plants with security forces, including around 7,000 "power police," but added: "I can't secure the power transmission."
"Many people have died because of the lack of electricity. Most of the hospitals are not working because of a shortage of electricity," he told reporters.
Oil refineries and oil production have also been affected by unreliable electricity supplies. Iraq's oil output is stuck at around two million barrels per day (bpd), compared with the nearly three million bpd just before the U.S.-led invasion began in March 2003.
To try to improve power generation, a 10-year plan was agreed in 2006, with the support of the international community, to add about 2,000 megawatts to current generating capacity of around 5,000 megawatts.
Funding will come from $2 billion per year of government money, but the overall cost will be around $4 billion to $4.5 billion, leaving a gap of $2 billion to $2.5 billion, Hasan said.
"We urge donors to fulfil the commitments they made at the Madrid conference [on reconstruction in Iraq]," Hasan said. "We also need to ask the power industries to contribute."
In Britain, he said he was holding meetings with all the big power generators and with BP about a gas project in the south of the country.
"We also discussed with them a gas master plan," Hasan said.
BP was not immediately available for comment.
Iraq's vast energy reserves offer a big incentive for oil and gas companies considering investment in Iraq.
But analysts said financial incentives for power firms willing to work in Iraq might not outweigh the dangers.
"You could command a security premimum, but most people involved in electricity networks are reasonably risk averse people," said Sebastian Eyre of John Hall Associates. "The chances are there are other places you can go."

Austria : Barzani meets director of the Department of Oil Company

(صوت العراق) - 27-04-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 27-04-2007

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النمسا: بارزاني يلتقي مدير مجلس إدارة شركة النفط والغاز

Austria : Barzani meets the company board director of oil and gas

فيينا (27 نيسان/أبريل) وكالة (آكي) الإيطالية للأنباء - أفاد مصدر نمساوي موثوق به في فيينا بأن رئيس إقليم كردستان العراقي مسعود بارزاني اجتمع الليلة الماضية مع عدد من كبار المسؤولين في شركة النفط والغاز النمساوية (OMW).

Vienna (April 27) and the agency (Lucky) Italian News-An Austrian reliable source in Vienna that the Iraqi Kurdistan region President Massoud Barzani met last night with a number of senior officials in the Austrian oil and gas (OMW).

ووصل بارزاني إلى فيينا الليلة قبل الماضية قادماً من روما في زيارة وصفها مراقبون بـ"الخاصة".

Barzani arrived in Vienna last night from Rome on a visit described by observers as "special".

ورفض الناطق الإعلامي باسم الشركة، توماس هيومر، نفي أو تأكيد نبأ الاجتماع، إلا أنه قال، في تصريح لوكالة (آكي) الإيطالية للأنباء، "نحن كشركة نمساوية متخصصة في مجال تكرير النفط والغاز ننظر من حيث المبدأ إلى منطقة كردستان العراق باهتمام بالغ، ولاسيما إذا أخذنا في الاعتبار أهمية ما تحويه تلك المنطقة من مخزون استراتيجي في النفط الخام والغاز".

He refused media spokesman for the company, Thomas Hummer, deny or confirm news of the meeting, but he said in a statement to Agence (Lucky) Italian News, "We Austrian company specializing in oil refining and gas look in principle to the Kurdistan region of Iraq with great interest, especially if one takes into account the importance of the implications of that region the strategic stocks of crude oil and gas. "

وأكد أن "الشركة تبني آمالاً عريضة للاستثمار في قطاع النفط والغاز في جميع المناطق العراقية سواء في الشمال أو الجنوب، وخصوصاً عندما تصبح الأوضاع الأمنية والسياسية والاقتصادية مستقرة في العراق"، ولكنه أردف قائلا إنه "من السابق لأوانه إطلاق أية تكنهات عما جرى من مباحثات وعما سيتم اتخاذه من خطوات في المرحلة المقبلة".

He emphasized that "the adoption of the company hopes to invest in the oil and gas sector in all regions of Iraq, whether in the north or the south, especially when the security situation, political and economic stable in Iraq," but he said that "it would be premature to release any Tekenhat of talks on what happened and what steps will be taken in the next stage. "

وقد أعلن وزير النفط العراقي حسين الشهرستاني الأمس أن حكومة بلاده لن تلتزم بأي عقد نفطي أو غازي يبرم بعيداً عن الوزارة إلى إقرار قانون جديد للنفط، الذي تطالب جبهة التوافق السنية بعدم مناقشته إلى استكمال التعديلات الدستورية المطلوبة.

The Minister of the Iraqi oil Hussein Shahrastani yesterday that his government will not be bound by any contract entered into an oil or gas away from the ministry to adopt a new law on oil, which calls for the Sunni Accord Front no discussion to supplement the required constitutional amendments.

وكانت حكومة كردستان قد وقعت عدة اتفاقات طويلة الأجل مع شركات أجنبية آخرها عقد أبرمته الأسبوع الماضي مع شركة دانة غاز الإماراتية.

The government of Kurdistan has signed several long-term agreements with foreign companies latest contract last week with the UAE company Dana Gas.

الجدير بالذكر أن أزمة نشبت بين فيينا وواشنطن على خلفية توقيع الشركة النمساوية (OMW)في نهاية الأسبوع الماضي "صفقة العام" مع إيران تقضي بتزويد النمسا باحتياجاتها من الغاز لمدة 25 عاماً وبقيمة 22 بليون يورو أي ما يعادل 30 مليون دولار.

It is worth mentioning that the crisis erupted between Vienna and Washington in the wake of the signing of the Austrian company (OMW) at the end of last week, "General deal" with Iran to supply Austria with their gas for 25 years and the value of 22 billion euros, or about $ 30 million.

(Aou/Aki)

(Aou/Aki)

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

U.S. general calls al Qaeda 'public enemy No. 1' in Iraq
The Washington Times
By Bill Gertz April 27, 2007 The commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said yesterday that al Qaeda terrorists are behind the recent spate of deadly car bombings and are now "public enemy No. 1" in the country. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told reporters at the Pentagon that while there is noticeable progress in fighting insurgents and terrorists, the struggle to stabilize the country is difficult and will require a continued commitment of American...

Iraq Photos Qaeda Terrorism Violence

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(photo: USMC file/Cpl. Neill A. Sevelius)

POLL: Should Kuwait forgive Iraq's $15B Debt?


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Kuwait Times - The first daily in the arabian Gulf

Arabs, Iraqis at odds before Egypt summit (Lets help the poll, by voting "YES")

Published Date: April 26, 2007
CAIRO/KUWAIT: Arab countries are demanding that Iraq do more to reach out to disgruntled Sunni Arabs before pledging any substantial aid to the troubled country, according to a document obtained by AP before a key US-backed summit....

... where Al-Maliki is touring, to press for debt relief and other support. The first day of the May 3-4 conference, attended by a wide range of governments ... International Compact with Iraq - a five-year plan ...stabilise the country's politics and economy. - AP

Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government
27 April 2007 (International Herald Tribune)


Iraq's oil minister warned Thursday that international oil companies should not sign contracts that bypass the central government and the Oil Ministry, a clear warning against deals with the Kurdistan regional administration, Dow Jones Newswires reported.
"Foreign companies shouldn't sign any contract that isn't through the federal government and the Oil Ministry," Hussain al-Shahristani said in a statement. "Any contract that is signed without the knowledge of the federal government is illegal."
The decision is likely to anger officials in the autonomous Kurdish region who have signed deals with several international companies including Norway's DNO.
"The ministry warns companies against violating the Iraqi laws and they would be responsible of such behavior," the minister said.
The flap could delay enactment of the new law to manage Iraq's oil wealth, which is pending in parliament. The draft allows the Kurds to sign contracts subject to review by central government authorities.
The speaker of Kurdistan's parliament, Adnan al-Mufti, said oil deals already signed by the Kurdish administration are legal under the Iraqi constitution.
"I am surprised by the Oil Ministry's statement because it comes at a time when discussions are going on," al-Mufti said in an interview with Al-Arabiya television. "The matter is subjected to discussion and agreement since the oil law, that was approved by the government, is a law that was discussed for many months."

Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government | Iraq Updates

Originally Posted by Hkp

Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government
27 April 2007 (International Herald Tribune)


Iraq's oil minister warned Thursday that international oil companies should not sign contracts that bypass the central government and the Oil Ministry, a clear warning against deals with the Kurdistan regional administration, Dow Jones Newswires reported.
"Foreign companies shouldn't sign any contract that isn't through the federal government and the Oil Ministry," Hussain al-Shahristani said in a statement. "Any contract that is signed without the knowledge of the federal government is illegal."
The decision is likely to anger officials in the autonomous Kurdish region who have signed deals with several international companies including Norway's DNO.
"The ministry warns companies against violating the Iraqi laws and they would be responsible of such behavior," the minister said.
The flap could delay enactment of the new law to manage Iraq's oil wealth, which is pending in parliament. The draft allows the Kurds to sign contracts subject to review by central government authorities.
The speaker of Kurdistan's parliament, Adnan al-Mufti, said oil deals already signed by the Kurdish administration are legal under the Iraqi constitution.
"I am surprised by the Oil Ministry's statement because it comes at a time when discussions are going on," al-Mufti said in an interview with Al-Arabiya television. "The matter is subjected to discussion and agreement since the oil law, that was approved by the government, is a law that was discussed for many months."

Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government | Iraq Updates

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