Exclusive: Al-Zaidi Protects Headquarters with Counter-Drone System
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has been receiving indirect threats as he tries to bring weapons held by Iran-supported groups under state control, Iraqi government sources told MBN, prompting the government to beef up anit-drone security arrangements in Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The sources said domestic and foreign intelligence agencies have informed the government of a plot to target the prime minister. Government spokesman Haider Al-Aboudi alluded to the alleged plot in an interview with Dajla TV, which Zaidi owns.
Zaidi has insisted that all weapons in Iraq be placed under state control, potentially making him a target for the country’s Iran-backed factions, some of which oppose the move.
With other senior Iraqi officials calling for the disarmament of the factions also facing assassination threats, security agencies are strengthening air defenses inside Baghdad’s Green Zone, appointing a new commander of the Special Division and a new commander of Baghdad Operations, according to a security source who spoke to MBN. The source said there were other measures but declined to detail them.
The Green Zone, officially known as the International Zone, houses the offices of Iraq’s three presidencies, several ministries and government agencies, as well as embassies and diplomatic missions, most notably the U.S. Embassy.
The Iraqi prime minister obtained personal protection equipment and other security devices during his visit to Washington in July, sources familiar with the matter told MBN. They could not say whether the equipment was purchased or donated by the U.S. government.
The sources also said there had been a proposal or communication with a U.S. private security company to train al-Zaidi’s personal protection team or provide advice on securing his protection. MBN was unable to independently verify the information.
A Shiite political leader told MBN that Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, secretary-general of Kataib Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has threatened Zaidi on more than one occasion.
Zaidi also threatened Hamidawi during a meeting with Shiite political leaders, MBN has learned
On Monday Kataib Hezbollah spokesman Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, appearing to address Zaidi, said: “An eye for an eye, and the aggressor is the more unjust.”
Zaidi has told Cabinet and Coordination Framework meetings that he would not back down from efforts to bring weapons under state control, even if it put his life at risk, a leader in the Coordination Framework said.
Kataib Hezbollah has said it would not surrender its weapons. Its secretary-general, Hamidawi, previously said U.S. and Saudi bombardment was a reason to hold on to weapons rather than give them up.
An official in Zaidi’s office confirmed to MBN that Iraqi security forces are conducting raids and surveillance targeting faction leaders and members. The forces have arrested individuals and raided homes and headquarters belonging to the factions without publicly announcing all of the operations.
On Monday, Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service arrested Abbas al-Yacoubi, a leader of Harakat al-Nujaba, which opposes surrendering its weapons.
Information indicates that Yacoubi oversees the group’s reconnaissance unit, considered one of the faction’s elite units.
Last month, armed fighter jets escorted Zaidi’s aircraft during his visit to Tehran, pointing to a potential security threat. It was reportedly the first time fighter jets had accompanied an Iraqi prime minister on a foreign trip.
At the end of June, anti-aircraft fire was heard in the Green Zone. Media reports at the time said a U.S. air defense system had shot down an unidentified drone, but information obtained by MBN indicated that Iraqi air defense systems intercepted the drone rather than the U.S. Embassy, as had been reported at the time.
A senior security commander told MBN that the drone was likely conducting surveillance of the government palace, where the Iraqi prime minister’s office is located. The drone was reportedly unarmed.
Senior political sources told MBN that messages had arrived from ambassadors inside Iraq, as well as from outside the country, warning of plans for attacks on the Iraqi prime minister.
The Interior Ministry had announced that security forces would treat any drone launched without official authorization under the provisions of the Counterterrorism Law.
The committee overseeing the issue said it had seized 49 drones this year.
The government spokesman said the state would continue implementing its plan to secure all weapons in the country according to the established timetable through the end of September.
The groups Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali submitted measures to end their affiliation with the Popular Mobilization Forces on June 2, following a similar step by Saraya al-Salam. Kataib Hezbollah, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Harakat al-Nujaba have maintained their weapons.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib Imam Ali, Kataib Hezbollah, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Harakat al-Nujaba are designated by the United States as terrorist organizations.
Adapted and translated from the original Arabic.