By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
BAGHDAD, Iraq – On January 14 an Iraqi court sentenced eleven Iraqis to death for the planning and carrying out of a bomb attack on August 19 of last year. Among those sentenced were Al Qaeda militants. The bombings took place in Baghdad as truck bombs were used to kill over one hundred people. Six hundred people were hurt in the blasts, which were named “Black Wednesday.”
According to Ali Abdul Sattar, president of the criminal court, the eleven Iraqis “are sentenced to death for the crime they planned.” The trial of the bombers was the first that convicted suspects arrested in the wake of of three major attacks that took place in the second half of 2009.
Among those sentenced were Ishaq Mohammed Abbas, a purported leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, and his brother Mustapha. Additionally, Salim Abed Jassim was sentenced to death. Jassim confessed that he received funding for the attacks from Brigadier General Nabil Abdul Rahman. Rahman was a senior army officer during the rule of Saddam Hussein.
The August 19 bombings took place minutes apart outside the ministries of foreign affairs and finance. The attacks marked the worst violence in Iraq in eighteen months and sparked outrage throughout the country from citizens concerned about how insurgents had been able to accomplish such an attack. Despite the outrage, similar attacks were able to be carried out by insurgents in October and December, where government buildings were again struck.
The government admitted that the August attacks were advanced by negligence at checkpoints that allowed the bombers to enter the capital with their explosives. A number of policemen in charge of the area were arrested on suspicion of negligence. While none of them were charged, Iraqi official say that they are still under investigation.
The attack created diplomatic tension between Iraq and Syria, with both governments recalling their ambassadors after Syria refused to hand over two alleged suspects.
Violence in Iraq dropped significantly in 2009 to its lowest level since the 2003 invasion. However, a monitoring group warned that the security gains are leveling off. Iraqi officials anticipate further bombings are expected ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 7.
For more information, please see:
AFP – Iraq Sentences 11 Men to Death Over Baghdad Bombings – 14 January 2010
Al Jazeera – Death Sentences for Iraq Bombers – 14 January 2010
BBC News – Death Sentences for Iraq Bombers Behind Huge Attack – 14 January 2010
New York Times – Iraq Sentences 11 to Death in Ministry Bombings – 14 January 2010
