Iraqi officer arrested over death squads

BAGHDAD - Iraq's Interior Minister said yesterday that his police had arrested a general in the ministry on suspicion of involvement in kidnaps and death squads.

"We have arrested an officer, a major general ... along with 17 people who kidnapped citizens and in some cases killed them," said Bayan Jabor, who is fighting to keep his job in the face of criticism that he has tolerated Shiite militias inside his ministry.

"He is now in jail and under investigation," he said in an interview with al-Jazeera television.

"We also found a terror group in the 16th brigade that carries out killings of citizens."

It was not clear when the arrest was made or whether the case was related to arrests of Army and police officers announced in the past few weeks.

- REUTERS