IRAQ: Babil police chief’s death sparks conspiracy theories

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Maj. Gen. Qais Hamza Mamouri was such a popular provincial police chief that when he was killed by a roadside bomb Sunday in the southern province of Babil, many residents — and policemen — were “hysterical” with grief, according to reports from the area. And with the tears, came the usual barrage of conspiracy theories.

Mamouri was killed in Hillah, the capital of the predominantly Shiite Muslim province, about 60 miles south of Baghdad. The explosion reportedly occurred at almost the exact same hour that U.S. officials briefing journalists at a luncheon in Baghdad were showering praise on Mamouri for his pivotal role in improving security in his region.

He was also lauded for his objectivity, and refusal to politicize law enforcement, even though he had enough reason to be bitter, and hold a grudge. His father was reportedly executed under Saddam Hussein.

His fairness, honesty and independence is what many supporters believe got him killed.

There were reports that Mamouri had recently received an order to transfer from Hillah to a position at the Interior Ministry in Baghdad.

Seems everyone has a theory. A taxi driver told one of our Iraqi staffers that Mamouri had come to the Finance Ministry in Baghdad a few months ago and threatened officials, because they had failed to pay police salaries in Babil for at least half a year. The police chief’s demands were met, according to the taxi driver, who was just brimming with information. It’s unclear from where.

The driver also told our staffer that Mamouri had been offered a position as an advisor to Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. The police chief, who assumed his position shortly after the start of the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, declined, saying he would rather serve the people and the law in Babil, the taxi driver reported.

Four suspects are already being held in connection with the assassination. They were interrogated and found to have significant traces of explosives on their body, police said.

Mamouri, 48, married and a father of five, was buried Monday in Najaf. Witnesses estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 mourners accompanied his casket in a procession around the streets of Hillah for about six hours.

— Ann M. Simmons in Baghdad