Updated 8:45 p.m. EDT, June 1, 2009
At least 22 Iraqis were killed and 43 more were wounded in attacks that included bombings in Baghdad and Mosul. Another mass grave was discovered in Diyala province as well. Meanwhile, a man claiming to be militant leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi released a new audiotape and again denied reports that he is in custody. Iraqi politicians demanded a halt to occupation reparations for Kuwait. And, the Red Cross helped 260 Iranian militants living in Iraq return home.
Abu Omar al-Baghdadi has apparently released a second audiotape since his purported capture by security forces. Baghdadi is allegedly the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, which is an al-Qaeda related group. Intelligence experts believe the voice could belong to the same man who released audiotapes prior to the capture of Baghdadi by Iraqi forces. Many experts believe Baghdadi to be a fictional creation. It’s also possible that the man held by the Iraqis is a completely different Baghdadi.
The International Committee of the Red Cross helped voluntarily repatriate 260 members of the Mujahedeen Khalq (People’s Mujahedeen) back to Iran. Iraq has called the group "terroristic" and is desperate to force the approximately 3,500 members of the group back Iran. The group mostly refuses to leave their Camp Ashraf home because many fear returning to Iran will mean torture and death.
Fourteen bodies were discovered in Khan Bani Saad. The mass grave is dated to about a year ago.
In Baghdad, four people were killed and 17 others were injured when a bomb exploded at the Alwat al-Rasheed market in Doura. A bomb in Waziriya wounded three civilians.
In Mosul, a hand grenade lobbed at a U.S. patrol in Bab al-Toub instead killed one child and wounded 15 people. Mortars wounded two policemen.
A paramedic was gunned down in Saidiya.
Security forces killed a suicide bomber in Jalawla before he reached a checkpoint; however, one security officer was killed and eight other people were wounded.
No casualties were reported when four Katyusha rockets struck a U.S. firm building a bridge near Kut.
A hand grenade attack on U.S. and Iraqi forces left no casualties in Hawija.
Fourteen suspects were detained in Basra.
A Karbala ex-official was detained on charges of abusing his position.
Diyala police buried 50 unidentified bodies. It’s likely that all or most of them were already reported. Morgue officials allow some time for family members to identify and collect their loved ones. Those who remain unmatched are buried.
Fifty missiles were recovered in Dhi Qar.
