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S/Su Dec 17 -

BAGHDAD update -

I have been trying to check out Zeyad's Baghdad Column at the Slogger, but I am not able to time-orient to him yet. This is one of the problems in the new 24 hour around the planet world we live in these days. I even used to get jet-lag during the Iraqi invasion from bi-location.

# Tonight, Zeyad's sources in the Iraqi Media report attacks by Shi'ite militiamen against the Jihad and Furat districts, southwest of Baghdad, Friday night. And over the last week dozens of Sunni families have been deported from the Jihad district by Shi’ite militiamen.

# In his previous column from yesterday, the Haqq Agency reported a followup to the mass abduction at the auto parts market in Sinak in central Baghdad in which 70 people were kidnapped: 25 were released in the Sha’ab district, all Shia. The fate of the rest is unknown, but Baghdadis fear the worst.

# Also from yesterday's column, a prominent (Shi'ite) Bani Tamim sheikh was assassinated in Basra by gunmen dressed in police uniforms. Sheikh Musin Al-Kan'aan was a member of the Basra Gov Council and maintained good relations with British forces there.

# And, still from yesterday, he published a facsimile of a Death Threat Letter with the particulars.

The permalink situation to these columns still seems a bit confusing, but that issue should clear up soon. I believe their official launch date is Monday.

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