Gang, suspected with recent oil pipes explosions in Basra, detained

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: Iraq’s Southern Oil Company’s police in Basra city, has arrested 6 members of a gang, suspected with having been behind explosions that blew off oil pipes south of the city over the past few weeks, its Police Director told a news conference on Friday. “We have arrested a 6-member gang in Raha area, 10 km to the south of Safwan township in Basra Province, suspected with having been behind the explosions that took place in Basra‘s oil pipelines three times over the past 3 months, including one about 2 weeks ago,: Mousa Abdul-Samad said. He added that the suspected men had an artillery mortar, middle-size rifles, light weapons, explosive charges, hand-grenades, rockets and other weapons and ammunition in their possession during their arrest. The Police officer said that the detention of the said men took place after a broad inspection campaign in agricultural fields in Burjisiya area, 40 km to the west of Basra and southern Rumeila, over the past 14 days, adding that “the weaponry that was found with the suspects could have been used in the said explosions.” SKH (PT)800