Iraqi Security officials warns from “sneaking of terrorist gangs” among demonstrators

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Official Spokesman for Baghdad‘s Operations Command, Major-General Qassim Atta, has warned from the “sneaking of terrorist gangs,” to exploit the peaceful demonstrations, taking place in Iraq nowadays, to “undermine the atmospheres and create a state of tension between the security men and the citizens.” “The right of demonstration is guaranteed by the Iraqi Constitution’s Article 36, that confirms right of peaceful demonstrations by all citizens, as well as the role of the security forces to protect the demonstrators and open the roads for the demonstrations, provided that official approvals be granted for those demonstrations by the Interior Ministry,” Atta told a news conference on Monday, attended by Iraqi News. “We hope that those demonstrations be peaceful, to express the opinion of citizens freely, without any interference by the security forces,” he said, adding that “demonstrations took place in several Baghdad areas, including al-Husseiniya, Sab’e-Qusour, Bub-al-Sham, Gorei’at, al-Tahrir Square and Salihiya areas, and the treatment of citizens had been peaceful, scoring the appreciation of the security forces, who insured protection for all demonstrators,” Atta said. But, the Iraqi Security official, “warned from the sneaking of some terrorist gangs among the demonstrators, to exploit their peaceful demonstrations, in order to undermine the atmospheres and create a state of tension between the security men and the citizens.” Atta, meanwhile, said that  “a high-level security committee was formed, according to an order by Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to follow up and secure the holding of the Arab Summit, scheduled to convene in Baghdad next March,” adding that the committee had carried out its activity over the past three months, laying down strong security plans, through coordination with the Baghdad Operations Command; and he security atmospheres are prepared now to  hold the Summit in Baghdad in its scheduled date.” SKH (TS)/SR 450