Who would do this?

Gorilla Guides has this up

Main Story

Actually there are two main stories - you can't take them in isolation. They are:

1. The Red Crescent kidnappings.
2. The attack on the Dental Hospital.

Red Crescent Workers Abducted in Karada | Aswat al Iraq: Baghdad | Bab al-Mu'azzam/al-Muaadham | Near Health Ministry | Dentristy College Attacked: The pattern is identical to the Health Ministry-Attack
(see below) and the al-Sanak market attack.

The Arabic URL for this story on Aswat al Iraq is here:

So far what is known is that at least 28 (males) were kidnapped from the the Red Crescent's Offices in Karadah. The modus operandi was identical to previous mass kidnappings including the one in al-Sanak during the week and the November attack on the health ministry. It's worth repeating what I said back then because an extremely clear pattern has emerged:

1. A worker at the Redcrescent Office reacts to the kidnapping.
2. A relative of one of the kidnap victims.

There's really not much to be said about this. You're well capable of working out why a ministry under Sadrist control came under attack. The health ministry complex is in central Baghdad.That area is under green zone government Ministry of Defense contro. Which is to say that it's under SCIRI control.

[snip]

The attack was very well coordinated it was very well planned it consisted of a concerted mortar barrage followed by in the region of 100 gunmen storming the complex. Snipers covered their attack and shot at people trying to escape the complex.

In broad daylight in Bab al-Mu'adham for crying out loud 100 masked gunmen were able to storm a major ministry complex with in the region of 2,000 people inside. To get to Bab al-Mu'adham you have to go through checkpoint after checkpoint after checkpoint. And that's not including the checkpoints in Bab al-Mu'adham itself

They had help - they had a lot of help.

Link to posting (emphasis has been added.)

The pattern is identical and very very blatant, in each case it has been in an area that's heavily patrolled by SCIRI controlled forces. In each case it has been in an area to which to gain access you have to go through checkpoint after checkpoint after checkpoint controlled by SCIRI forces. In each case it has been in an area in which to move around you have to go through checkpoint after checkpoint after checkpoint controlled by SCIRI forces. In each case it has been in an area in which to leave you have to go through checkpoint after checkpoint after checkpoint controlled by SCIRI forces.

Here's what happened today you can see very easily how it fits the pattern. It's important to know that SCIRI control Karadah.

1. A large convoy of SUVs identical to those used by Interior Ministry forces arrive at the building. In this case there were at least 10 SUVs. Even by current standards that's a pretty hefty convoy.
2. A large number of gunmen storm the building - in other words there was shooting, a lot of shooting, between them and those guarding it. Nobody came to investigate the shooting. Both the SCIRI controlled Interior ministry and the SCIRI controlled Defense Ministry deny that anyone reported it. The SCIRI controlled police deny that anyone reported it.
3. In this particular "incident" the gunmen also attacked the Dutch Embassy and captured three of the embassy guards. Are we supposed to believe that the embassy didn't call for help?
4. The kidnappers go through the building fairly quickly but very thoroughly - in other words they knew the layout of the building - the plans for buildings such as the Red Crescent Building are on file, you get absolutely no prizes whatsoever for guessing which ministry has those files.
5. According to people present in the Red Crescent building the gunment "in the uniforms of" the SCIRI controlled special forces took the time to confiscate all the mobile phones they could find.
6. They even recorded on video cameras brought along for the purpose what they were doing. Don't believe me?

   "A woman who was present at the scene when the gunmen stormed the building told VOI 'the kidnapers took all the mobiles found with the people present at the office while one of the attackers was recording the kidnapping with a video camera.' "

7. The gunmen then drove off taking their victims with them.
8. Brigadier Abdul-Karim Khalaf (appointed by SCIRI), denies all knowledge of any details of the incident, despite the fact that those detail are being broadcast on several radio stations and carried on Iraqi news sites.
9. Brigadier Abdul-Karim Khalaf (appointed by SCIRI), makes a statement saying that the SCIRI controlled Interior ministry and the SCIRI controlled Defense Ministry, and the SCIRI controlled police, are busily engaged in setting up check points, roadblocks, and "making investigations." - Yeah right. The good brigadier doesn't have far to look. Neither do the American advisers in the Ministry to whom he reports directly.

Let it not be forgotten that a senior Red Crescent Official complained on Friday that the biggest problems the organisation have are with the American invaders.

Now lets look at the Dental Hospital Attack. (URI (Arabic on Aswat Al Iraq)) You'll notice the same MO. This time it didn't work. And yes it's Sadrist controlled nearly all the health facilities are:

1. The Dental faculty is in Bab al-Muaadham very close indeed to the Sadrist controlled Health Ministry.
   
   I repeat the area is massively under the control of SCIRI and that to get into, out of, or around, the area you have to go through innumerable checkpoints all manned by heavily armed forces loyal to SCIRI controlled ministrys.
   
2. The Health Ministry was the scene of a massive attack in November.
3. A convoy of gunmen drive up
4. They open fire and attempt to storm the building.
5. This time heavy fire from the guards drive them off
6. So they withdraw - somehow or another managing an impossible feat which is to get out of the neighbourhood avoiding all the SCIRI controlled roadblocks to say nothing of any American roadblocks and patrols. I'd love to know how they managed that trick.
7. No don't bother I already know how they managed that trick:
   
   

markfromireland

See also: various Western Reports Below - mfi:

ICRC calls for immediate and unconditional release of Iraqi Red Crescent staff abducted in Baghdad:

Press Release 06/144
ICRC calls for immediate and unconditional release of Iraqi Red Crescent staff abducted in Baghdad
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called today for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons abducted from one of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society offices in Baghdad.

Geneva (ICRC) - Some 30 persons, most of them Iraqi Red Crescent workers, were kidnapped by unidentified armed men in the morning of 17 December from their duty station in the Iraqi capital.

Shortly thereafter, ICRC Director of Operations Pierre Krähenbühl appealed for the unconditional and immediate release of the Iraqi Red Crescent personnel and of all others abducted with them. "I call upon those who carried out the kidnapping at the Iraqi Red Crescent office to immediately release all the abducted persons unharmed," he said. "Iraqi Red Crescent workers provide vital help for all Iraqis in need. They do so with devotion and with humanity. They must be respected and supported, not harmed."

The Iraqi Red Crescent offices are clearly identified by the red crescent emblem. The staff working for this humanitarian organization are entitled to full protection under international humanitarian law.