Italian group backs Iraq fighters with cash

z020898 · Post by **z020898** » 2003-11-17 09:06pm

I wouldn't believe this if it did not come from the BBC. How can anyone be this stupid. I hope the Italian goverment tosses these people in jail for a long time. Opposing the war is one thing, giving money to Saddam's supporters. What are they thinking?

Italian group backs Iraq fighters

Tamsin Smith
BBC reporter in Rome

A group of Italian anti-war militants is raising funds to support the armed Iraqi resistance, the BBC has learned.
The discovery comes as Italy mourns 19 men killed in a suicide attack in Iraq last week.

The "Antiimperialista" organisation's internet campaign asks people to send "10 Euros to the Iraqi resistance".

They say they have collected 12,000 euros ($14,165) in the past eight weeks and admit the money used could be used to buy weapons.

The Antiimperialistas are a group of European anti-war and anti-globalisation supporters.

They are currently organising an anti-war demonstration in Italy next month, and it remains to be seen whether news of the fund-raising activities will deter more moderate anti-war activists from attending.

The organisation's Italian branch says the money will be given to an Iraqi resistance group known as the Iraqi Patriotic Opposition.

Independent Iraqi sources in London say the leaders of this group have a long history of association with the Baath party and are now back in Iraq supporting the armed resistance.

To think there are people in Italy collecting money in order to kill our heroes is really a shame
Lucio Malan
Forza Italia Party
The Italian spokesman of the antiimperialistas, Moreno Pasquinelli, says the money collected so far is in an Italian bank account.
Mr Pasquinelli said it would be taken to Iraq in January. He was candid when asked about raising money for the Iraqi Patriotic Opposition which says it actively supports military resistance.

"Its not our affair how they use this money. If they want to use it to print papers for example, or to buy weapons in order to fight for the Iraqi independence," he said.

"We support the armed struggle in Iraq. our money is to help them, it doesn't matter to us if they use it buy weapons, Kalashnikovs, or medicines for people."

When asked to confirm if the money raised could be used to buy weapons he admitted: "Yes they could, and why not?"

Shame

The Italian Interior Ministry refused to comment, saying the matter was with the security services.

Lucio Malan, a senator from the governing Forza Italia Party, was shocked to hear about the campaign.
"The first word that comes to my mind is shame and horror," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

"They are raising money against people (Italian troops) who are defending the peace, the security of the people of that country. They have not killed or wounded anyone in that country they are helping to take away unexploded bombs."

He said the group's activities "collecting money to give it outspokenly to terrorist groups" was certainly illegal in Italy.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/e ... 277029.stm

Published: 2003/11/17 17:44:27 GMT

© BBC MMIII

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-11-17 09:17pm

$14,000, eh? Let us give them a taste of our military budget.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-11-17 09:34pm

HemlockGrey wrote:$14,000, eh? Let us give them a taste of our military budget.

We've got artillery shells that cost more. But that doesn't mean these people shouldn't be thrown in jail for a few decades.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-11-17 09:47pm

And just how is aiding Iraqi resistance so they can attack US troops and make the Iraq mess worse going to further the peace process?

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-17 10:09pm

Soon the Iraqi resistance will have Ariete tanks ...

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2003-11-17 10:12pm

Vympel wrote:Soon the Iraqi resistance will have Ariete tanks ...

Eh?! How much is each tank? A $100?~Jason

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-11-17 10:18pm

Its a slap in the face of the dead Italians soldiers families

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-17 10:24pm

Soontir C'boath wrote:Eh?! How much is each tank? A $100?~Jason

A million bucks or so- I'm just starting early.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-11-17 10:36pm

Vympel wrote:Soon the Iraqi resistance will have Ariete tanks ...

And about ten minutes after that and Abrams crew gets another confirmed kill.

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2003-11-18 03:09am

Stormbringer wrote:
Vympel wrote:Soon the Iraqi resistance will have Ariete tanks ...
And about ten minutes after that and Abrams crew gets another confirmed kill.

10 minutes? More like 10 seconds...

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-18 03:32am

EmperorMing wrote:10 minutes? More like 10 seconds...

Well, that would depend on the skill of the Italian-funded Iraqi Ba'athist dead-ender terrorist jihadist crew.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2003-11-18 03:37am

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:And just how is aiding Iraqi resistance so they can attack US troops and make the Iraq mess worse going to further the peace process?

Don't you know that this is no place for logic? Its ITALY!

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-11-18 04:04am

Vympel wrote:
Well, that would depend on the skill of the Italian-funded Iraqi Ba'athist dead-ender terrorist jihadist crew.

Yeah, better make that seven seconds.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2003-11-18 05:19am

Obviously these people do not realy care for peace in Iraq. They are merely interested in creating chaos to make the US "imperialists" look bad.

The_Nice_Guy · Post by **The_Nice_Guy** » 2003-11-18 07:47am

Somebody said these were 'anti-war militants'.

Uhm, gives you a whole new perspective on the term oxymoron.

The Wobbly Guy

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-11-18 08:04am

"Ah, Muhammed, this is sure one fine tank. It's so shiny and big."

*POP*

"Oh NOES! My tanky!"

US Tanker Guy: "Har har, fear the wrath my phallic cannon dishes out on your feeble, second rate Italian MBT."

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2003-11-18 09:42am

Vympel wrote:Soon the Iraqi resistance will have Ariete tanks ...

How powerful are these Tanks ?

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-18 10:06am

evilcat4000 wrote:How powerful are these Tanks ?

Meh. It's Italian. Nothing special, but nothing too crappy either. Fits firmly in the miscellaneous, hardly anyone knows or cares about it category of tanks, along with such other useless tanks like every Chinese tank ever, or the Polish PT-91 'Twardy', etc.

Of course, it was just a joke.