Shafaq News reveals shocking details in Jableh crime: intelligence officer accused his relative of Terrorism

Shafaq News/ "On Thursday, December 30, at 1500 [Iraq time], an officer in the Iraqi Intelligence in Jableh sub-district of Babel Governorate revealed that a group of people wanted according to Article 4/Terrorism in the residence of Rahim Kadhem Obada al-Ghariri in al-Rachayed area."

"Immediately, a force from Jableh's Intelligence rushed to the location. Upon their arrival, the owner of the house opened fire toward the members of the patrol."

"According to the statements of the officer, the District's magistrate was contacted to obtain approvals, and a SWAT force was deployed," official wire seen by Shafaq News Agency said. 

"The SWAT force encircled the house, and clashes erupted between them and the owner, who refused to surrender even though he shot two officers... At 1900, the confrontation ended, and the force entered the house to find out that all the family members, 20 persons including children and elders, were killed."

Three security officials revealed to Shafaq News Agency the shocking circumstances of the gruesome incident that rendered the Ministry of Interior's undersecretary for Intelligence Affairs, Ahmed Abu Ragheef, rush to the crime scene. 

The sources said that a disagreement erupted between the house owner and a relative of him who is an intelligence officer. The latter exploited his ties to deploy a security force in order to arrest his relative after claiming he is a member of the terrorist organization of ISIS. 

The armed clashes between the security force and the house owner, and his son prompted the attacking force to deploy heavy weapons, killing the entire family. 

Another source said that Babel's Police Commander and head of Intelligence were summoned to investigation per the orders by the Minister of Interior, Othman al-Ghanmi. 

The Security Media Cell (SMC) said in a statement earlier today that the security force was pursuing two terrorists and engaged with them.

In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, security expert, retired Brigadier-General Adnan al-Kinani, said, "the plan of the attack was not successful. Any wanted person could be arrested outside his residence instead of engaging with him in a confrontation the way it happened."

"The incident is classified as a criminal act in case prior judicial proceedings were not obtained. The issuance of the warrant during the clashes is a dangerous sign. It is also a criminal act."

"The report of the forensic team that examined the scene can be issued within hours. They can compare the type of the bullets and the distance they were fired from to the weapons and bullets of both sides... Was the killer the head of the family or a security force? They can tell from the number of bullets in the victims' bodies. Moreover, the security forces usually shoot in the head or chest at a close distance. These hypotheses can aid the investigation to identify the culprits."