The confessions of 22 men charged with killing thousands of Iraqis, mostly police and army recruits, were broadcast during a news conference on Iraqi state television today. The men, who are also accused of ties to al-Qaeda and the now-illegal Ba’ath Party, were arrested in late 2007 with about 200 other men.
In recent weeks, Iraqi security forces have arrested hundreds of other suspects, charged only with belonging to the Ba’ath Party but no other crimes. Sunni Iraqis suspect the new operation is merely a ruse to harass them ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal next month. To add further drama to the press gathering, dozens of family members attended, occasionally disrupting the proceedings with calls to execute the suspects.
At least one Iraqi was killed and eight more were wounded in new attacks.
In Mosul, gunmen killed an off-duty policeman at his home. A soldier was wounded in a roadside bombing.
In Baghdad, four civilians were wounded during a blast in the Adhamiya neighborhood. No casualties were reported after gunmen shot at a reporter’s home
Three civilians were wounded during a blast in Dibbis.
