500 Prisoners, Including High Ranking Al Qaeda, Escape Abu Ghraib

At least 25 Iraqi security personnel killed in insurgent attacks aimed at liberating the terrorists.

Another prison, called Taji, was also attacked.

The prisons in Abu Ghraib and Taji house thousands of prisoners, including convicted al-Qaida militants. Exactly one year ago, al-Qaida’s Iraq arm launched a campaign called ‘‘Breaking the Walls’’ that made freeing its imprisoned members a top priority.

A surge of violence across Iraq has killed more than 3,000 people since the start of April, and the assaults on the prisons laid bare the degree to which security has eroded in the country in recent months. The spike in bloodshed is intensifying fears of a return to the widespread sectarian killing that pushed the country to the brink of civil war after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Several officials, including lawmakers on parliament’s security and defense committee, said more than 500 inmates managed to escape from Abu Ghraib. There were no immediate reports of escapes from Taji.

Given the number of security forces killed, and mentions of gunfights lasting an hour, it seems that this is a bona fide jailbreak from the outside -- although, this being Iraq, you can bet there were confederates on the inside as well.

I don't understand why, in this sort of situation, the wardens just don't start immediately killing Al Qaeda prisoners.

Oh I know-- "But you're not supposed to." Well, you're not supposed to plot to bomb and shoot prison guards, either. So "Supposed To" is right out the window.

posted by Ace at 05:55 PM

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