Organised criminals looted Iraqi museums

Organised criminal groups who knew what they wanted to steal looted Iraqi museums and may have taken priceless items out of the country, US Attorney-General John Ashcroft said at an Interpol conference in France yesterday.

The conference of art experts and law-enforcement officials in Lyon is aimed at creating a database listing pieces of art and historical objects looted after the US-led invasion of Iraq.

They are handicapped because they do not know who carried out the pillaging, how organised it was, or what is missing.

But Ashcroft said investigators had indications the looting was a professional job by prepared thieves.

Herald Feature: Iraq