Guided missiles seized in Basra

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: Policemen seized three Katyusha missiles ready for firing towards vital installations and six launching pads in western Basra on Monday, a local police source said. “Security forces, acting upon intelligence tip-offs, seized three Katyusha rockets of 107 mm. caliber that were ready for firing at vital facilities in the area of Safwan, (60 km) western Basra, and deactivated them,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Six launching pads, batteries and wires were also seized,” he added. Western Basra is home to major strategic plants of petrochemicals, fertilizers, iron & steel, gas and pipelines. Some of these sites had come under indirect fire attacks during the past couple of months, namely the gas plant and the al-Shaabiya oil refinery. The oil-rich port city of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. AmR (P) 1