There are more than 200 checkpoints in Baghdad; some of these checkpoints are manned by policemen, some by Iraqi army and some by both. Many of these checkpoints are equipped with explosive detectors that were supposed to enable the Iraqi forces to stop transporting explosives around the city or basically car bombs.
Most of these checkpoints are located at entry points to bridges and neighborhoods. Other checkpoints are on the main roads of Baghdad to the limit that the city is literally suffocating because of these checkpoints and the resulted traffic jam.
Before starting telling you what happens in most of the checkpoints you should know about the “explosives detectors”. The device is carried by security man who stops your car and walk beside it carrying the device. The device’s pointer changes its direction when passed by a car that supposedly carries explosives.
But the main flaw it points also if there is any chemical material like detergents or even medicine.
What happens in these checkpoints and how they are distributed in the city?!
First Scenario:
You drive into the checkpoint, and the explosives detector does not point to your car, Iraqi security orders you to drive and continue your magical trip through the elegant safe capital’s roads.
Second Scenario:
The detector points at your car, the security men orders you to drive into searching area, if there is one sometimes simply stop you in mid of the street, to search your car. The soldier responsible for searching asks the dumb and dumber questions:
- Where are you coming from and where are you going?
- Do you carry weapons?
If you answered with a wide smile, coming from X neighborhood and going to Y neighborhood and no I don’t carry weapons, you probably would leave without further questions or being searched.
Third Scenario
Detectors point at your car, you go to search, you answer the dumb and dumber two questions with a wide smile but yet the soldier insists to search your car. The search will be the following: open the trunk, soldiers will order you and that’s it.
Fourth Scenario
Your friend is a soldier or you have a badge that says you are a member of Iraqi security forces, no need to worry then, because every day we see tens of them passing all Baghdad’s checkpoints without being searched.
And till now, the government and the Iraqi forces are still insisting on depending on these checkpoints as the main tactic to control the apparently unstoppable attacks of car bombs.
I wonder, what did the American military or NATO trained the new Iraqi forces?
And here is Pakistan:
Aftermath of terrorist attacks
Special duty cards issued to police, traffic wardens
* SP says only personnel with cards will get entry to their offices
* Says data on military, police uniform dealers being collected
By Aamir Yasin
RAWALPINDI: Special duty cards have been issued to police personnel and traffic wardens in Potohar Division for the safety of their offices in view of a surge in terrorist attacks in the country, said Superintendent Police (SP) of the division Kamran Adil on Thursday.
According to the SP, police personnel and traffic wardens will be allowed the entry into the premises of their offices on production of special duty cards.
He told a news conference that the said security check would help in preventing terrorist attacks on police installations in the city.
Adil also said the dealers of military and police uniform had been warned against selling fatigues to police and army personnel only after they showed special duty cards.
He said Special Branch had been directed to collect the data of shops dealing in military and police uniform in the city.
He said strict action would be initiated against those selling military and police uniform to the ‘irrelevant’ people.
The SP said educational institutions in Potohar Division continued to be under threat. He said a special advisory had been issued to the division schools totaling 175 about security.
He said private schools had been divided in two categories for security reasons. He said 29 schools fell in Category A and 146 in Category B. He said the administrations of the schools located alongside major roads had been asked to raise boundary walls to terrorist attacks. He said police had already consulted the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board in this respect.
He said police had increased patrols and deployed a large number of personnel around schools. He said efforts were being made to enhance the performance of policemen manning checkpoints.
He said schools in Potohar Division had received over a dozen hoax calls during the last one week, triggering panic among staff, students and their parents. He said some of the hoaxers were schoolchildren, who raised false alarm out of fun. He urged people to educate children on terrorism and ways and means to counter it.
During the news conference, the SP also said the Civil Lines police had arrested a cook, Riasat Ali, along with his four associates for looting 65 tola gold jewellery, Rs 126,000 cash, two wristwatches and two cellphones from a house. He said the looted goods and cash had also been recovered. Adil also said the same police station seized four stolen vehicles.
He said the Civil Lines police also solved a blind murder case by arresting a woman, Malka Pathani, who killed her husband Muhammad Attique along with her two friends. He said the body had also been recovered from Golra Chishtiabad.
The SP said the RA Bazaar police had arrested a gang involved in the making and issuance of fake driving licences and three police officials were its members. He said police also took a computer, scanner and fake stamps into custody. He said investigation into the case was underway.
Adil further said Wah Cantonment police held a man, Muhammad Zahid alias Jugee, and seized 80 litres liquor and apparatus used for its making.
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