Damascus // A secret conflict is underway inside Iraq's intelligence services, with officers being assassinated by fellow agents as rival factions battle for control, according to Iraqi security officials.
The conflict, as described by both a senior Iraqi intelligence officer and a high-ranking former Iraqi security official, is largely along sectarian lines dividing Shiite and Sunni agents affiliated with different political parties.
"Shiite officers are being assassinated by an organisation inside the intelligence service," an Iraqi brigadier general who, until recently, was working in intelligence operations in Baghdad, said in an interview. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is worried about his safety and he is not authorised to talk to the media.
"We think the killers are from Saddam Hussein's secret police who have been rehired to work for intelligence again," he said. "They have classified information about other officers' movements and activities that they are using to kill them."
Such information, he said, could only come "from inside the Iraqi intelligence system, or from the Americans".
It is impossible to independently confirm any of the information or allegations made by the Iraqi officers.
A CIA spokeswoman dismissed as "absolute rubbish" any suggestions that the US foreign intelligence agency might be involved. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) routinely refuses to comment on intelligence matters.
The general said security agents and officers were being murdered in attacks that were reported as random bombings or shootings but were, in fact, skilfully targeted assassinations.
"My colleagues are being killed and the official reports say they were 'terrorist incidents', but there is never a full investigation into what happened," he said. "They are being killed with plastic explosives, sticky bombs and silenced pistols."
He said he personally knew of six officers from different intelligence departments who had been killed in recent months, he said, adding that he was certain others had been killed, too. He provided no details nor specific verifiable cases in which agents had been assassinated.
The general, a Shiite affiliated with the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq political party, said he and other officers had received modern tactical instruction from the US intelligence services and that groups would need similar operational know-how to find and kill them. "Only those with the same professional US training as us would be able to carry out these killings," he said. "We are very careful; we vary our routes, our movements and our vehicles but officers are still being killed.
"I believe we are being killed by insiders or with help from insiders, and so do my colleagues."
The claims were supported by a senior serving Iraqi intelligence official who, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had survived an assassination attempt that he believed to be an inside job.
"I don't trust my colleagues anymore," he said.
He is convinced the assassins were using sophisticated mobile-phone tracking systems to precisely locate the signals of individual handsets being used by their targets.
"We all have mobile phones and the details are logged with the office and they track that," he said. "I now use a phone that is unregistered and I don't let many people know the number."
The security officer said former secret police operatives from Saddam's regime had been recruited to the intelligence services and were involved in the assassinations.
He also said a classified, written report on the issue had been sent to senior government officials a month ago. "Nothing has been done about it," he said.
The general and the serving intelligence officer admitted they had no proof about who was behind the attacks but both were adamant the killers were highly trained and had access to inside information.
They also both pointedly underlined the central role of US intelligence agencies in Iraq, noting that the United States has been instrumental in building, funding and working alongside the INIS, since its creation in 2004.
"There are reasons to suspect the Americans could cooperate in this," the serving intelligence officer said.
Shamel al Bassam, an independent political analyst from Baghdad, said the murder of agents had convinced him a "huge fight" was underway within the INIS - long considered a highly politicised agency - pitting elements close to Tehran against those siding with Washington.
"Intelligence officers are being killed by other intelligence officers," he said. "Those being targeted are seen as working for Iran. They are political appointees put in by the parties."
Many of the pro-Washington agents had served under Saddam Hussein's secret police networks, Mr al Bassam claimed, and were vehemently anti-Iranian. Government officials loyal to Shiite parties, such as the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, are often accused of being under Iranian control by their opponents.
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Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
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Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
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Company%20Profile
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The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now