Saturday 12 February 2005, 14:42 Makka Time, 11:42 GMT
A well-known judge of Basra was killed by two armed men riding motorbikes while driving his car directed to the work place, on Saturday morning.
Taha al-Basri was a former chief member of the Highest Criminal Court in the port city of Basra. His bodyguard was seriuosly wounded by the attackers and is now under observation in a hospital, according to the Lieutenant Colonel Karim al-Zaidi.
Meanwhile six National Guard members were found dead in the area of Intisal, near the city of Mosul.
The victims were all presenting bullet wounds in their heads and chests and were dumped on a main highway, as explained by the Lieutenant Ali Husain , member of the Iraqi police.
Il Romanaccio at 3:14 PM
Saturday 12 February 2005, 14:42 Makka Time, 11:42 GMT
According to various sources, eighteen people were killed and at least 25 wounded when a car bomb exploded in the town of Musayyib, a mixed Shia-Sunni area about 100 km south of the capital, on Saturday morning.
The hospital director in the city of Hilla said that there were three police officers among the victims.
The booby-trapped car was parked just in front of the building.
The Police Lieutenant Muhammad Tamimi declared,"Most of the victims are people who were heading to the hospital or to the headquarters of the local council."
Apparently some of the wounded people suffered from heart attacks due to the loud detonation.
Talib al-Janabi , an Iraqi reporter, said that the hospital and some cars nearby were seriosuly damaged because of the blast and that Iraqi police forces cordoned off the area while US helicopters immediately came over the explosion site.
Il Romanaccio at 2:58 PM
Thursday 10 February 2005, 22:57 Makka Time, 19:57 GMT
Giuliana Sgrena was seized on February 3 in front of a mosque in Baghdad.
After the abduction, different contradictory statements from Islamist Jihad movements claimed responsability on many websites.
Another movement released a declaration to the Italian government on Thursday, "We give the Italian government 48 hours to announce a withdrawal from Iraq, and that is the condition for disclosing the fate of the Italian journalist called Giuliana Sgrena."
"The mujahidin are now addressing a new message to the Italian government to say that keeping Italian forces in the Land of the Two Rivers (Iraq) will lead to a bloody war," claimed the new statement and "And the criminal [Italian Prime Minister Silvio] Berlusconi and his government will not be happy as long as a single Italian soldier remains in the Land of the Two Rivers," it said.
Even if the authenticity of the document cannot be officially confirmed, it is a logical request from the point of view of the insurgents that puts the Italian Premier in front of a difficult choice.
Il Romanaccio at 1:46 PM
Friday 11 February 2005, 14:44 Makka Time, 11:44 GMT
A group of armed men killed at least 9 people this morning, customers of an eastern Baghdad's bakery that were waiting ninside the shop.
The killers came out from two cars, burst into the "Happiness Bakery" and started to shoot against the crowd with their machine-guns.
According to several sources, seven people died immediately in the shop and two others later, in the hospital.
Some residents, however said that the victims were at least 11.
A police officer referred that the tragedy was probably caused by a conflict between two tribes.
Another witness said that the same bakery was attacked a few weeks ago in the same way and three people lost their life.
Il Romanaccio at 1:34 PM
Thursday 10 February 2005, 13:58 Makka Time, 10:58 GMT
Iranian President Muhammad al-Khatami has no intention to stop the nuclear program his country wants to develop, to be at the same level of the other nations and perfectly able to defend itself.
In a meeting held on Wednesday, at the presence of foreign diplomats, al-Katami warned that his country deserves the right to develop its own nuclear program and if the European Union will not agree on this ground, they do not intend to go further on negotiations.
(It means they will continue without any permission).
"No government, neither mine nor any other, has the right to deprive the nation on its path to technology, including the national nuclear technology."
"[There is] no way we would ignore the nation's legitimate will for peaceful nuclear technology and instead give in to illegitimate demands from outside," added al-Katami.
Il Romanaccio at 2:55 PM
Thursday 10 February 2005, 0:44 Makka Time, 21:44 GMT
A director in the Ministry of Culture and Housing was killed, on Wednesday evening, while coming out of his car by an unknown number of armed men.
Another three members of the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) were ambushed and shot dead, on Wednesday evening in the Haifa street area, by the insurgents.
A Gunbattle involving Iraqi and US soldiers against a not specified number of fighters soon followed.
A US soldier was also killed on Wednesday evening when his convoy was under attack, north of Baghdad, close to the area of Balad, as reported by the US military.
The United States announced, meanwhile, that the troops employed in Iraq will soon be reducted to a smaller amount, as the Lieu. Gen. General Lance Smith, deputy commander of the US Central Command in Iraq, indicated to the press, "We should be at pre-election levels in spring."
About 13,000 to 19,000 soldiers will come back a their homes.
Il Romanaccio at 2:39 PM
Thursday 10 February 2005, 13:49 Makka Time, 10:49 GMT
According to al-Jazeera sources a truck bomb exploded today in the centre of Baghdad just while a US military convoy was passing by, killing at least four people and wounding several others.
Tahrir Square, situated in the centre of the capital, is a very busy commercial street full of shops and markets.
As the blast happened the place became full of dangerous chunks of hot metal and wreckage flying around.
A paramedic at the Kindi hospital said that they received two dead and on wounded person.
Sources from another hospital were talking about another four wounded.
Ziyad al-Samarrai, an Iraqi correspondent for al-Jazeera, said no US soldiers were involved in the attack and Iraqi police came immediately to seal off the area.
Il Romanaccio at 2:27 PM
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 Posted: 5:05 AM EST (1005 GMT)
Abdul Hussein Khazaal lost his life on Wednesday morning around 8 a.m. (12 a.m. E.T.)
when a group of armed men entered his apartment in the al-Maaqual area of Basra and gunned him dead, according to police officials.
He was a correspondent for the al-Hura American tv network created by the United States to "cut through the hateful propaganda that fills the airwaves in the Muslim world," as President Bush admitted.
This Tv started its activity in February 2004, also known as "the Free", it is meant to compete with more estabilished networks in the Arab World such as Al-Jazeera or al-Arabiya, some Muslim clerics judged the Tv as a propaganda channel for the United States.
Il Romanaccio at 11:53 AM
Tuesday, February 8, 2005 Posted: 6:04 PM EST (2304 GMT)
Egypt, Ariel Sharon and Mahmud Abbas finally called on a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine, a new possibility for peace in the Arab World?
"We have agreed with Prime Minister Sharon to cease all violence against the Israelis and against the Palestinians, wherever they are," said Abbas.
Unfortunately, just after the ceas-fire was singed, the independent movement Hamas released a statement in which declares not to be part of the bilateral agreement.
Given the fact that this historical meeting happened four years after the previous one, while Arafat was the Palestinian leader, we can say Abu Mazen seems to be at least busier than his collegue.
"We really hope this day will be the day that marks the relaunching of the process for a better future that will lead us towards mutual respect and peace in the Middle East," said Ariel Sharon, adding that Israel is ready to stop every military operation if Palestine does the same.
President Bush said he was "impressed" by Abbas's commitment to stop terrorism.
"I've also been impressed by the fact that Israel helped the Palestinians have an election, went out of their way to make sure that people were allowed to go to the polls," he added.
Il Romanaccio at 11:02 AM
BAGHDAD, Feb 7
The commission estimated in about eight million the number of the voters on the January 30 democratic election.
The slow process of counting these votes revealed, so far, the Shia coalition " United Iraqi Alliance) guided by Al- Sistani to be bound for victory.
The two major Kurdish parties will follow in the second place.
The National Assembly will be composed by 275 seats, the UIA is expected to place many of its members in this chamber.
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party are quite sure to become the second political power in Iraq.
The UIA was surprisingly leading even on the Sunni province of Salaheddin (including the Hussein's birthplace Tikrit), north of Baghdad, where Sunni politicians urged to boycott the elections, the Kurdish coalitions were second.
Sunni people of that area must had payed attention to their politicians' advices and did not vote!
Il Romanaccio at 10:54 AM
Monday, February 7, 2005 Posted: 10:58 PM EST (0358 GMT)
A ceas-fire is higly expected when Abbas and Sharon will meet each other in Egypt on Tuesday durng the summit taking place at the Red Sea resort of Sharm Al-Shaikh at the presence of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
Officials from both sides said that a detailed plan for a ceas-fire was prepared to be ready before the meeting.
The adviser of the Israeli Prime Miniser Sharon, Raanan Gissin, hopes that Palestinians resistance groups will declare the end to "violence, terrorism and incitement" against Israel.
Then they will respond with stop every military action.
But it is important to underline the fact that Gissin thinks Palestinians to be guilty and responsable for stopping this intifada, "It will be their responsibility to stop terrorists," he said.
Condoleeza Rice was in Israel yesterday and talked with Abbas and Sharon claiming, "This is the most promising moment for progress between Palestinians and Israelis in recent years" and "I depart the region confident of the success of the meeting tomorrow between President Abbas and Prime Minster Sharon."
After Arafat's death many progresses in terms of peace between these countries have been done.
Il Romanaccio at 10:35 AM
Tuesday 08 February 2005, 11:59 Makka Time, 8:59 GMT
According to the Hospital officials a bomb hit an Iraqi army recruitment center in west Baghdad, killing at least 13 people and wounding eleven.
The base was a disused airport and apparently a car bomb drove near the truck that was carrying the new soldiers.
Further details are still not available but it is usual for the resistance fighters to attack people while they are waiting in line to become policemen or soldiers.
The goal the insurgents are aiming at, is to avoid the creation of a normal statal infrastructure implyng an army and a police to patrol the streets.
As soon as they try to join one of this military departments, the people are guilty in the eyes of the fighters, to be part of the new western political guide.
Il Romanaccio at 10:21 AM
Monday 07 February 2005, 14:42 Makka Time, 11:42 GMT
The cities of Mosul and the area of Baquba (north of Baghdad) witnessed, on Monday two of the deadliest car-bomb attacks ever.
A long line of Iraqi civillians was hit by a suicide bomber that killed fifteen people and wounded sixteen while they were waiting to join the police, as reported by an official.
In Mosul a member of the Martir Brigades blew himself up in an hospital causing the death of 13 policemen and wounding seven others.
According to the Associated Press In Mahawil south of Baghdad, another attack from the insurgents took the life of 22 Iraqi officers and policemen, on Sunday night.
A dozen of fighters also died in the attack said Muthana Khalid Ali, a police Captain.
Meanwhile the situation of the Italian journalist Mrs. Giuliana Sgregna it is far to be resolved.
The name of the group who kidnapped her, several days ago close to the Baghdad university, remains unkwnon.
Two different Islamic groups claimed her abduction and threat to kill her if Italy does not pul back its troops from Iraq.
The "Italian Communists" party in Rome, put posters all around the city, asking the government to leave the country with all its soldiers.
Mr. Berlusconi is supposed to think about it, will he?
Il Romanaccio at 4:28 PM
Sunday, February 6, 2005 Posted: 2:41 PM EST (1941 GMT)
Bush should not dare to accuse Iran of hiding or sposoring terrorists, while the US are supporting "Zionist terrorists" and incourage his soldiers to torture people.
Hamid Reza Asefi, Theran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, simply responded to president Bush's last week declaration about terrorism, "Today, Iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror -- pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve."
Asefi's counter attack was inteded to blame Washington about recent facts involving its soldiers in Iraq and detainees in the Cuban prison.
"The United States is supporting a Zionist terrorist group, but in order to combat terrorism, the United States must start within itself," and he added, "The issues of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons is a shame for the United States which will not be wiped out anytime soon."
"Those who support terrorism cannot talk about combating terrorism."
The annual terrorism report of the last year talked about an Iran deeply involved in terroristic activities and in supporting Palestinian resistance fighters.
President Bush must have sounded scary when he said, "to promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists," knowing his ways a new war agaisnt Iran or Syria should not be surprising.
Il Romanaccio at 10:27 AM
Sunday 06 February 2005, 10:21 Makka Time, 7:21 GMT
According to the police, insurgents attacked one of the most important pipeline in the country, on Saturday for the second time in three days.
A police officer said, "The pipeline linking the Baiji refinery to that of Dura, in the capital, was sabotaged west of the city of Samarra."
The attack was apprently carried on with 10 kg of explosive, placed in of the pipelines that bring oil in Baghdad, from the refinery of Baji (about 200 km north of the capital).
An refinery officer, Majid Mamnun said that it will take at least two weeks to repair the damages.
A similar attack took place in the same area on February 2.
Since the invasion of the American troops insurgents have caused about 8 billion dollar loss in exports.
Il Romanaccio at 10:11 AM
Sunday 06 February 2005, 13:27 Makka Time, 10:27 GMT
A US Marine was killed in action in the south of Baghdad and two civillians died in the Basra's centre due to an explosion.
The statement from the US military released on Saturday says, "A Marine assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force was killed in action yesterday while conducting security and stability operations in the North Babil Province," this brigns the number of US military personnel died at 1443.
Meanwhile the Iraqi Interior Ministry reported that two civillians lost their lives and another one was wounded in the centre of Basra, on Saturday after a bomb exploded.
A employee for the Baghdad's provincial goverment was shot and killed in the street on Saturday morning, and an hour later the same destiny took the life of another man in a very similar way in the same area of the city, as the Ministry said.
Referring to the blast in Basra, a police official told the press, "The injured man was standing in front of his store when the bomb went off a few moments after a police car had passed by."
Il Romanaccio at 11:59 AM
Sunday 06 February 2005, 13:27 Makka Time, 10:27 GMT
According to al-Arabiya, four Egyptian enginners working for a telecom's (Iraqna) company were seized by a group of fighters in Iraq, on Sunday.
They were abducted while leaving their houses in west Baghdad, as a correspondent for al-Arabiya in the capital said.
With this episode insurgents have kidnapped about twelve Egyptians in Iraq, during the last year, most of them were freed after negotiations but apparently they also killed two.
Diplomat Muhammad Mahmud Qutb and an Egyptian oil businessmanwere the most recent abductions.
Not to mention an high number of foreigners kidnapped recntly in this country by the insurgents,
Il Romanaccio at 11:45 AM
