BAGHDAD — Sunni mercenaries have been competing for recognition as the top killer of Shi'ites in Iraq.
U.S. officials said Sunni operatives in the Baghdad area have launched a
competition in the daily strikes against Shi'ite civilians. They said these
Sunnis were comprised of mercernaries paid for every Shi'ite killed.
"The killing of Shi'ites has resulted in a good living for Sunni
criminals," an official said. "They have established networks that identify
and help kill Shi'ites in the Baghdad area."
[On Tuesday, Iraqi and U.S. troops, backed by attack helicopters, fought
Sunni insurgents in downtown Baghdad. Officials reported that 50 insurgents
were killed.]
One leading Sunni killer was identified as Adil Tamra. Officials said
Tamra was engaged in a competition with other criminals over who could kill
the most Shi'ites.
"They played a game of one-upsmanship, where each would compare notes,"
an official said.
Tamra has been the object of a manhunt by U.S. and Iraqi units,
officials said. They said Tamra was linked to both Al Qaida as well as
Saddam loyalists, but was driven by greed.
"He's just like Saddam Hussein." an Iraqi intelligence officer said. "He
sits there and shoots people in the head, because they don't share the same
beliefs as him."
Tamra was said to have been one of the three leading insurgents sought
by Iraqi and U.S. troops in Baghdad. He was said to operate in the mixed
neighborhood of Karkh in Baghdad.
"We raided Adil Tamra's house yesterday," Iraqi Army Maj. Ahmed said on
Jan. 4. "We found his [explosive] vest, some mortars and an RPG
[rocket-propelled grenade]. The information he had told us he was in the
house minutes before we arrived."
Officials said Sunnis and Shi'ites have been cooperating in the effort
to capture Tamra and other leading fugitives. They said Tamra and other
insurgents have been on the run for the last few weeks.
"They know we're getting very close to them," an Iraqi officer said.
"They are worried. We are becoming very effective against them."