International News

International News

Al Qaeda Suspects Escape Iraq Prison in Deadly Break

Hailey Hurowitz

September 28, 2012

     

                 Prisoners took weapons and sat off hours-long clashes with security guards at a prison in Saddam Hussein's hometown that left 12 dead, including 10 guards, before dozens of inmates managed to escape from the facility.  The escaped prisoners included al-Qaida suspects.  It was the latest embarrassing security lapse in Iraq, raising questions about the Shilite-led government;s ability to ensure the country's security in the wake of the U.S. troop withdrawal last December.  The prison riot took place on Thursday night.  Lots of inmates broke into the prison storeroom, taking weapons that were kept there and overpowering the guards.  The prisoners then engaged in a long gun battle with security inside the facility before breaking out hours later.  By Friday morning, government troops had regained control of the prison, and a curfew was imposed in Tikrit.  Everything is pretty much under control now, and the security troops are chasing the escaped prisoners, and have already recaptured some.  Twelve people died in the incident, 10 prison guards and two inmates.  Thirty-two people were also wounded in the incident at the prison.  A total of 81 inmates, including some who had been sentenced to death, managed to escape but 36 of them were quickly recaptured.  Special forces even had to be sent to Tikrit from Baghdad in order to stop the rioting.  The Security forces later had to put down three car bombs that were found parked near the prison.  The inmates even had time to burn all the prison records during the rioting, which will complicate the tracking down of those who escaped.  A lot of people think the jailbreak was an inside job.