Iraq's government will set up a new security service specifically geared toward tackling the nearly 15-month-old "insurgency" in the country, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Thursday.
The new body, the General Security Directorate, "will annihilate those terrorists groups, God willing," Allawi said during a news conference.
In remarks published earlier in the al-Hayat daily, Allawi was quoted as saying Iraq has detained operatives linked to al-Qaeda.
Allawi told reporters that he had asked Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Morocco and Egypt to contribute troops to the multinational force to help him secure the country. He also conveyed that he would be going on his first foreign tour as prime minister to nearby Arab states.
"We would like to strengthen our relationship with our neighbors and we are making this a priority," he said, according to The AP.
In the al-Hayat comments, Allawi said that among al-Qaeda activists arrested by Iraqi forces were the driver of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
"Over the last two or three days, we have captured a number of crucial figures who have started to fully and effectively cooperate with the investigative and judicial authorities," Allawi was quoted as saying.
"We have learned there is a kind of escalating coordination between remains of Saddam's regime and al-Qaeda elements such as al-Zarqawi," he added. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
