Agence France-Presse
Baghdad, Dec 16 (AFP) Gunmen kidnapped 26 members of a Qatari hunting party in southern Iraq, officials said today, the second high-profile seizure of foreign nationals in the country in three months. “Twenty-six Qatari hunters were kidnapped at about 3:00 am (0000 GMT) by unknown gunmen,” according to a police major from Muthanna province, where the kidnappings took place. A local council member from the province confirmed the number of people kidnapped but did not specify their nationality. “Unknown gunmen in dozens of pick-up trucks attacked a place where Qatari hunters were located,” the official said. Two officials said that members of Qatar’s ruling family were among those kidnapped but did not identify them by name.
Doha has not confirmed or commented on the kidnapping. Two Iraqi officers providing security for the party were also seized, officials said. Wealthy citizens of Sunni Gulf states venture to countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq to hunt with falcons without the bag limits and conservation measures restricting the killing of certain species that they face at home. There is significant hostility in Iraq, especially in the Shiite-majority south, over the Gulf countries’ policies on the Syrian civil war and perceived complicity in the rise of the Islamic State jihadist group. Qatar is especially reviled on this front. The kidnappings come a little over three months after gunmen seized 18 employees of a major Turkish construction firm working in Baghdad. The Turkish workers were later freed unharmed.
New counter-terrorism police unit
Berlin: Germany is introducing a new police unit in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris that officials say will be better armed and trained to deal with terrorism. Some 250 more officers will be added to the national police force’s special arrest units, known as the BFE, and based at five locations around the country.Unlike the country’s elite GSG9 SWAT teams that are only deployed as emergency response units, the so-called BFE+ police will also be involved in day-to-day operations. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere is presenting the first group of 50 BFE+ police later today.
Trump’s new tirade against IS
Washington: Donald Trump, the frontrunner US Republican presidential candidate, has called for closing down the Internet in areas controlled by the Islamic State (IS) to prevent the terror outfit from using social media to recruit fighters.”I would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody. I sure as hell don’t want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our Internet. Yes, sir, I am,” Trump, 69, said in response to a question during a GOP presidential debate when asked if he is open to closing parts of the Internet.
