Iraqi interpreters working for the British Army have been advised to leave
Basra or be killed.
The warning was issued by a leading member of the city’s security forces after
militiamen attacked and destroyed the home of one interpreter and narrowly
failed to kidnap another. There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that a
third had been killed.
“All the interpreters have to leave Basra because these militia will never let
them rest. They will kill everybody they know [who worked for the British],”
Colonel Saleem Agaa Alzabon, who leads Basra’s special forces, said. “The
interpreters have to leave. They have no choice.”
Colonel Saleem and the two targeted interpreters told The Times that the
militiamen – almost certainly members of the Shia al-Mahdi Army – had
stepped up their pursuit of so-called collaborators since the British
withdrew from Basra city 11 days ago. The latest attacks are further
evidence of the extreme danger that the 91 interpreters for the British
military face now, let alone when the troops leave Iraq for good. They will
intensify the pressure on Britain to reverse its refusal to grant them
asylum. Gordon Brown ordered a review of that policy after The Times
highlighted the interpreters’ plight last month.
The target of the first attack was Ahmed, 25, a student who has been working
for the British Army for three years, first in a base in the Shatt al-Arab
hotel and now at the al-Shaibah base outside Basra, where the Irish Guards
are training Iraqi troops.
Ahmed (not his real name) said that last Friday his 22-year-old cousin
borrowed his car to fetch his sister, who lives near the al-Shaibah base.
The cousin used the route Ahmed normally takes to work. He was stopped by
four masked men at a makeshift checkpoint and whisked away.
When the kidnappers realised that they had the wrong man they telephoned the
cousin’s family to say that he would be killed if Ahmed did not give himself
up. The family lied, saying that Ahmed had left Iraq. The kidnappers then
demanded a $15,000 (£7,500) ransom.
Ahmed handed over all the money that he had saved over three years. The family
asked a tribal leader to give it to the kidnappers and bring back the cousin
so that they would not be cheated. The cousin returned home with a message
for Ahmed: “If we find you anywhere in Basra we will kill you, but if you
come to us and give us information we will let you live.”
Ahmed has now sent his wife and one-year-old daughter to a relative’s house
far from Basra and intends to stay on the al-Shaibah base. He said that if
the Government did not grant him asylum in Britain he would have to seek
refuge in another country.
“I’m very frightened,” he said. “The militias know all the interpreters in
Basra. They waited for the British to leave so they could attack us . . . If
the British don’t give me asylum I will have big problems because if I stay
in Iraq I will be killed.”
A British officer, who declined to be named, confirmed Ahmed’s identity, and
saw no reason to doubt his story. “It would not be the first time something
like this has happened,” he said.
The second attack came late on Sunday night. Mohammed Motlag, who has worked
as an interpreter since 2003, told The Times that he was working at the
British base at Basra airport when his wife telephoned to say their house
was being attacked by about 40 militiamen. They were shouting: “We have come
to kill your husband. He’s a spy for the British forces.”
Mr Motlag, 46, said that his two children, aged 6 and 3, were also in the
house. He could hear the militiamen trying to break down the door. Weeping
at his helplessness, he told his wife to get his gun and start firing.
He then called Colonel Saleem, an old friend, who rushed a police detachment
to rescue the family. The militiamen later blew up the house with grenades.
Mr Motlag said that his family were now in hiding. Colonel Saleem
corroborated Mohammed’s story when contacted by The Times. “That's right,”
he said, and then repeated it himself.
The Ministry of Defence said it was aware of the interpreters’ claims, took
the safety of its Iraqi employees very seriously, and was reviewing the
assistance it provides to them. It continued: “The total number of Iraqis
who have worked for us since 2003 with a claim to assistance could be at
least 15,000. We therefore need to consider the options carefully.”
Senior politicians, diplomats and army officers have urged the Government to
grant the interpreters asylum. The Times has learnt that the Government
privately accepts that it has a moral obligation to help them, but ministers
are still debating how many of the thousands of other Iraqis – and their
dependents – who have assisted the British should be allowed in.
An interpreter working for the British describes an attack on his family
Tonight at 2300 hrs, my telephone was rung, it is my wife; she shouted and
cried: “Mohammed the militia are at the door trying to break it” she said.
I am in the COB [British airport base] and she is inside the house. I was
hearing the sounds of my children saying: “Daddy: save us.” My wife: they
broken the 1st door and trying to broke the second.
I phoned the ops room of the regiment in which I work, although I know they
have no permission to come inside the Basra city because of the decision of
pullout from Basra city. * I phoned the police returning back to my
wife, I was crying because I hear the crying of my children having no
ability to save them (Trying to be steadfast), and all of a sudden the idea
of using my rifle which is in my home crossed my mind. Shouting “use the
rifle” I said. She replied I don’t know how to use it.
I don’t know how I taught her with my telephone. She shot 6 rounds inside the
room. They are still hammering the door. At that time, a captain from the
regiment arrived to my office, I made the loudspeaker of my telephone on in
order to hear him the sound of shooting and the crying of my children and my
wife.
“Mohammed they attacked us from the outside of the building, they are saying
we shall kill you and your children because your husband hides himself
working as a servant with his infidel masters British” she said.
The officer order me to go to the ops room of RHA [Royal Horse Artillery], but
on my way I returned back to the police I entreat them at times and abusing
them at other times because they are late to save my family.
By Chance, I found another name who appear in front of my eyes, Colonel
Saleem, I worked with him in Az Zubayr when he was the commander of police
in this city for more than a year ago but he was moved to be the commander
of QRF [Quick Reaction Force] of Basra city. I phoned him nervously asking
him to save my family. Again with my wife, she said they will try to come
inside through the windows, so she was continuous to shoot them and she
asked me to teach her how to replace the magazine, I told her how she do
that.
“Mohammed I hear the sounds of the policemen saying we are police” she phoned
me. “OK let me ask Colonel Saleem about the names of his people perhaps it
is a swindler” I told her.
But it was OK they are his people after checking with him. Then the police of
Al Ashaar area arrived and they have done some investigations. By and large
police arrived after 45 minutes from the beginning of the incident.
The militia were around 40 people, 25 around and inside the building but the
others surrounded the area, they were dressed on black and military
uniforms, some of them were trying to break the doors but the others
disturbed the furniture of the rooms taking some English documents and my
laptop.
I asked Colonel Saleem to take my wife and the children to his home to save
them. At the time of writing those notes, militia returned back after the
police left, they exploded the flat by grenades. When everything was
resolved I found myself writing to you. Please, I hope to issue my story to
the British public opinion to say this is what he does earn who served the
British troops for more than 4 years. Where can I put my children to protect
them.
I am so sorry about my writing because I am very nervous.
* British troops can, in fact, re-enter the city until it is granted
provisional Iraqi control next month
