- Title: IRAQ: U.S. FORENSIC OFFICERS INSPECT SUSPECTED MASS GRAVE OUTSIDE BABYLON.
- Date: 5th May 2003
- Summary: (W5) OUTSIDE BABYLON, IRAQ (MAY 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: BONES FROM MASS GRAVE 0.05 2. MV: LOCALS LOOKING AT REMAINS 0.10 3. GV/CU: LOCALS INSPECTING CLOTHING AMONGST THE REMAINS (2 SHOTS) 0.16 4. MV/PAN: USAID FORENSIC OFFICERS WALKING THROUGH THE MASS GRAVE 0.23 5. CU: USAID BADGE 0.28 6. MV: LOCALS AT THE MASS GRAVE SITE 0.33 7. MV: USAID FORENSICS INSIDE THE SITE 0.39 8. MV: PILE OF BONES (2 SHOTS) 0.46 9. CU: SKULL WITH SQUARE TAKEN OUT OF IT 0.46 10. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FADIHLLA NAHMA, OLD WOMAN LOOKING FOR HER SON SAYING: "My son was in the military. They called him to ask him to join the reserve forces, they took him to Kuwait (during the war) to a place call Ashafiya" 1.10 11. CU: DETAILS OF SON'S PASSPORT 1.15 12. MV: LOCAL MAN LOOKING 1.19 13. CU: FALSE TEETH ON PILE OF BONES 1.25 14. TV: PEOPLE AT THE GRAVE 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: OUTSIDE BABYLON, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA3OBXAP5UOOQO505EM8YBAKCBE
- Story Text: Personnel from the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) have arrived at a a
suspected mass grave on the edge of the Iraqi town of Babylon
to carry out forensic tests on the bones of some 35 bodies
unearthed there last week.
USAID forensic officers searched through the mass grave
near the ancient city of Babylon on Monday (May 5) after
Iraqis dug up dozens of bones wrapped in stained blankets and
skulls with rectangles cut out of the back two days ago.
After the 1991 Gulf War, tens of thousands of people are
believed to have been killed when Shi'ites in the south rose
up against Saddam's government but saw their rebellion
crushed.
Several mass graves have been found since Saddam was
toppled on April 9, including another potential site dating
back to the uprising found on Saturday near Babylon, south of
Baghdad.
Iraqis said they were looking for their sons, brothers,
fathers and one mother who they said were taken from their
homes in 1991 during the uprising that broke out in the
aftermath of the Gulf War.
"My son was in the military. They called him to ask him to
join the reserve forces, they took him to Kuwait (during the
war) to a place call Ashafiya," said Fadhilla Nahma, who came
to look for remains of her son.
A few said they knew of this site but had never dared to
start digging with President Saddam Hussein still in power.
U.S. Marines, who had cordoned off the site ahead of the
arrival the forensic scientists, said they had found documents
dating back to 1990 and needles scattered over the bodies in a
bid to keep dogs and cats from digging there.
The scientists will help with the further excavation of
the site, just a few miles from Babylon, an ancient town south
of Baghdad, in the cradle of civilisation.
Officials of Saddam's government brutally suppressed the
1991 uprising, in which tens of thousands of people were
believed to have been killed.
Washington has often referred to the brutal tactics of
Saddam's government to add justification for launching a war
to oust the president on March 20. Several mass graves have
been found since Saddam was toppled on April 9.
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