Iraqi Police 2 script:
00:00:00:00 KARZAN VO
SUSPECTED INSURGENTS IN AN INTERROGATION CENTRE IN KIRKUK. REVEALED AND INTERVIEWED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. GETTING ACCESS TO THEM WASN'T EASY: A JOURNEY THROUGH IRAQ'S VIOLENT HEART.
00:00:21:14 - KVO
DRIVING AROUND IRAQ, YOU SEE THE EVIDENCE OF CIVIL WAR VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE. LESS SO, THOUGH, IN KIRKUK, A NORTHERN CITY WHICH HAS - SO FAR - ESCAPED THE VERY WORST OF THE VIOLENCE. AS A CITY WITH A KURDISH MAJORITY, IT SITS SEPARATE FROM BATTLES CURRENTLY RAGING BETWEEN ARAB SH'ITES AND SUNNIS, AND BETWEEN BOTH THOSE GROUPS AND COALITION FORCES.
THE KURDS ARE TIGHTLY ALLIED WITH THE AMERICANS. DRAG THEM INTO THE WAR, AND THE WHOLE THING STEPS UP A NOTCH.
THE ONLY FORCE FIGHTING TO STOP THAT HAPPENING IS KIRKUK'S POLICE FORCE. AS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE PREVENTING KIRKUK FROM DESCENDING INTO FULL-ON CIVIL WAR, THEY ARE PRIME TARGETS THEMSELVES: AS THIS POLICE-CAR GRAVEYARD SHOWS.
00:01:09:24 Caption Karzan Sherabayani - KPTC
These are all police cars hit on the roads of Kirkuk by roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Five were killed inside this one. This was the latest and arrived here the day before yesterday, they had 4 policemen killed and two very badly injured.
00:01:31:13 - KVO
And those who died inside the cars? Chrows husband was killed in such an attack.
00:01:38:09 - WIFE (in Kurdish with English subtitles)
He always talked about it and said he did not mind to be shot at but he was worried to be killed by suicide bombers because he did not want his body to be blown up. But that's how he was killed.
00:01:46:18 - KPTC
And this is Adel, he is Adnans brother and he is still in the police force. And now the mother doesn't want him to be in the police force anymore.
00:01:56:13 - Mother (SUBTITLE) Yes, if he listens to me he will quit.
K, to Adel (SUBTITLE) Will you quit the police force?
A (SUBTITLE) No. We will all die anyway, so I might die with dignity and for the freedom of my country.
00:02:08:15 - KVO
ADEL'S DETERMINATION IS THE PRODUCT OF A 2-MONTH TRAINING STINT AT KIRKUKS POLICE ACADEMY, WHERE IM HEADING NEXT.
00:02:19:03 - KPTC
Weve just come across a roadblock. I can see American soldiers on the road.
00:02:24:12 - AMERICAN SOLDIER - (SUBTITLE) - PUT THAT CAMERA DOWN
K - GOOD MORNING SIR. EXCUSE ME. WE ARE FROM BRITAIN, WE ARE PRESS MEDIA WE SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO FILM YOU
AS - WHERE'S YOUR ID.
00:02:36:18 - KVO
INSURGENTS HAVE SET UP A ROADSIDE BOMB A MILE AWAY FROM THE AMERICAN MILITARY BASE AT KIRKUK'S AIRPORT. THE SOLDIERS ARE TRYING TO DEFUSE THE BOMB.
WHILE I WAITED THESE THINGS TAKE TIME I LOOKED AT A LIST THAT KIRKUKS POLICE CHIEF HAD GIVEN ME EARLIER THAT DAY.
00:02:54:23 - KPTC
Police Killed 13, injured 18. Iraqi National Army Killed 15, injured 14. Car explosions 9. Kidnapping 8, Mortar attacks 36. Kateusha rockets 16, IED, roadside bombs, just like this, 45, defused bombs 25, Cannon shells found 283, civilians Killed 15, injured 44, arrest of suspects 51.This is all in the past 5 weeks in Kirkuk only.
00:03:31:00 - KVO
With that sort of tally, do Americans on the ground see civil war coming?
00:03:36:10
SARGENT CYRUS Yes, it is inevitable, it will happen, but it will happen while we are here, I dont know.
K Where do you hope to be when the civil war starts?
C When it starts I want to be back home. I don't want to be here for it. So back home in Georgia.
BOMB EXPLODES
00:03:52:00 - KVO
BOMB GONE. . . ON TO THE POLICE ACADEMY
00:03:57:06 - KVO
KIRKUKS POLICE ACCADEMY WAS FORMED SOON AFTER THE FALL OF SADDAM. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. 9000 POLICEMEN HAVE PASSED THROUGH. THE 200 HERE NOW WILL BE THE NEXT BATCH TO FACE THE INSURGENTS. DOES THE ACADEMY'S HEAD THINK HIS MEN WILL BE ABLE TO FACE DOWN THE INSURGENCY WITHOUT AMERICAN HELP.
00:04:17:04 SAMIR MURSHID - (SUBTITLE) Iraq is making progress and by day it is becoming more and more self-dependent.
K (SUBTITLE) Is it true that there are insurgents who have infiltrated the police force?
S (SUBTITLE) We have a saying in Kurdish, "there are no valleys without foxes", of course there are a few, but they get arrested and submitted to the law of the country.
00:04:43:04 - KVO
IRAQI POLICE ARE OFTEN CRITISED FOR BEING HEAVY-HANDED FOR THE WAY THEY TREAT ARRESTED SUSPECTS. I WONDER IF THIS IS TRUE OF KIRKUK'S POLICE. TO FIND OUT, I DECIDE TO TRY MY LUCK AND SEE IF I CAN VISIT KIRKUK'S INTEROGATION CENTRE FOR THE WORST OF THE ALLEGED CRIMINALS.
00:05:01:15 - KPTC
This is Kirkuk's special crime centre, interrogation centre and is used mostly for the insurgents and the terrorists who are committing attacks in this city.
00:05:14:09 - KVO
I NEED TO MEET THE OFFICER IN CHARGE TO GET SPECIAL PERMISSION TO VISIT THE CELLS. WHILE THERE, I ASK HIM WHAT HIS JOB HAS ALREADY COST HIM.
00:05:24:06 ARAZ NAMIQ (SUBTITLE) I have no freedom to go around as I wish in this city. I need to be guarded at all times. Not only have I lost my own freedom but my family have lost theirs too. My wife and children lock themselves in at home and they do not go out. This is the reality of this city.
00:05:45:24 - KPTC
I've been given permission to visit the cell where the suspects are, the insurgents, but I am told for security matter and not to jeopardise their process of interrogation, I won't be allowed to talk to them. However, the officer himself is not going to accompany me because again for security matter, fearing for his life, he doesn't want to show his face to the suspects in the cell.
00:06:16:18
*** SILENCE SHOTS OF PRISONERS ******
00:06:29:01 - KPTC
THIS IS PERHAPS 3X3 ROOM AND I CAN SEE. . . .
PRISONER 1 (SUBTITLE) - ITS 3X4
KPTC 3X4
P1 (SUBTITLE) AND THERE ARE ABOUT 31, 32 OF US.
KPTC FOR HOW LONG
P1 (SUBTITLE) 4 DAYS, 5 DAYS
K (SUBTITLE) How many of you are Arab Sunni? Could you please raise your hand.
P1 (SUBTITLE) I will not answer you this question.
K You don't want to answer me?
P1 (SUBTITLE) No.
K Why?
P1 (SUBTITLE) Because the American have created this, you are Sunni or Shiia. I am a civil engineer in Iraqi Petroleum Company.
K And why are you here?
P1 (SUBTITLE) About twelve, one, o'clock in the night American come to my home, broke the door, the window. They said we have your name, for you help the terrorists. We want the American to leave.
K If the Americans leave Iraq, you will stop doing insurgents acts and terrorism?
P1 Yes, yes, yes.
00:07:51:10 - KVO
IT'S LITTLE WONDER AN ARAB SUNNI WANTS THE AMERICANS TO LEAVE: UNDER SADDAM THEY HAD THE CONTROL OF THE CITY. THEYRE STILL FINDING IT HARD TO LEARN HOW TO SHARE POWER.
00:08:02:02 - K (SUBTITLE) How does the police behave towards you?
P2 (SUBTITLE) The police are good.
AND THIS IS CONFIRMED BY A CROWD OF VOICES.
K (SUBTITLE) Do the police torture you during interrogation?
P3 (SUBTITLE) I don't know I have not seen torture.
00:08:14:01 KPTC
I have been given this very special permission to visit this cell where many suspects are for various reasons.
00:08:20:17 - KVO
WHATEVER THEY'VE DONE AND I CAN'T JUDGE THEIR INNOCENCE OR GUILT THEY ARE VICTIMS TOO OF THIS CHAOTIC SITUATION: WHAT IS CALLED THE NEW IRAQ.
00:08:36:00
Filmed by
Claudio Von Planta
Edited by
Phil Haslam& Karzan Sherabayani
Produced & Directed by
Claudio Von Planta & Karzan Sherabayani
Joka Films 2006
00:00:00:00 KARZAN VO
SUSPECTED INSURGENTS IN AN INTERROGATION CENTRE IN KIRKUK. REVEALED AND INTERVIEWED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. GETTING ACCESS TO THEM WASN'T EASY: A JOURNEY THROUGH IRAQ'S VIOLENT HEART.
00:00:21:14 - KVO
DRIVING AROUND IRAQ, YOU SEE THE EVIDENCE OF CIVIL WAR VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE. LESS SO, THOUGH, IN KIRKUK, A NORTHERN CITY WHICH HAS - SO FAR - ESCAPED THE VERY WORST OF THE VIOLENCE. AS A CITY WITH A KURDISH MAJORITY, IT SITS SEPARATE FROM BATTLES CURRENTLY RAGING BETWEEN ARAB SH'ITES AND SUNNIS, AND BETWEEN BOTH THOSE GROUPS AND COALITION FORCES.
THE KURDS ARE TIGHTLY ALLIED WITH THE AMERICANS. DRAG THEM INTO THE WAR, AND THE WHOLE THING STEPS UP A NOTCH.
THE ONLY FORCE FIGHTING TO STOP THAT HAPPENING IS KIRKUK'S POLICE FORCE. AS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE PREVENTING KIRKUK FROM DESCENDING INTO FULL-ON CIVIL WAR, THEY ARE PRIME TARGETS THEMSELVES: AS THIS POLICE-CAR GRAVEYARD SHOWS.
00:01:09:24 Caption Karzan Sherabayani - KPTC
These are all police cars hit on the roads of Kirkuk by roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Five were killed inside this one. This was the latest and arrived here the day before yesterday, they had 4 policemen killed and two very badly injured.
00:01:31:13 - KVO
And those who died inside the cars? Chrows husband was killed in such an attack.
00:01:38:09 - WIFE (in Kurdish with English subtitles)
He always talked about it and said he did not mind to be shot at but he was worried to be killed by suicide bombers because he did not want his body to be blown up. But that's how he was killed.
00:01:46:18 - KPTC
And this is Adel, he is Adnans brother and he is still in the police force. And now the mother doesn't want him to be in the police force anymore.
00:01:56:13 - Mother (SUBTITLE) Yes, if he listens to me he will quit.
K, to Adel (SUBTITLE) Will you quit the police force?
A (SUBTITLE) No. We will all die anyway, so I might die with dignity and for the freedom of my country.
00:02:08:15 - KVO
ADEL'S DETERMINATION IS THE PRODUCT OF A 2-MONTH TRAINING STINT AT KIRKUKS POLICE ACADEMY, WHERE IM HEADING NEXT.
00:02:19:03 - KPTC
Weve just come across a roadblock. I can see American soldiers on the road.
00:02:24:12 - AMERICAN SOLDIER - (SUBTITLE) - PUT THAT CAMERA DOWN
K - GOOD MORNING SIR. EXCUSE ME. WE ARE FROM BRITAIN, WE ARE PRESS MEDIA WE SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO FILM YOU
AS - WHERE'S YOUR ID.
00:02:36:18 - KVO
INSURGENTS HAVE SET UP A ROADSIDE BOMB A MILE AWAY FROM THE AMERICAN MILITARY BASE AT KIRKUK'S AIRPORT. THE SOLDIERS ARE TRYING TO DEFUSE THE BOMB.
WHILE I WAITED THESE THINGS TAKE TIME I LOOKED AT A LIST THAT KIRKUKS POLICE CHIEF HAD GIVEN ME EARLIER THAT DAY.
00:02:54:23 - KPTC
Police Killed 13, injured 18. Iraqi National Army Killed 15, injured 14. Car explosions 9. Kidnapping 8, Mortar attacks 36. Kateusha rockets 16, IED, roadside bombs, just like this, 45, defused bombs 25, Cannon shells found 283, civilians Killed 15, injured 44, arrest of suspects 51.This is all in the past 5 weeks in Kirkuk only.
00:03:31:00 - KVO
With that sort of tally, do Americans on the ground see civil war coming?
00:03:36:10
SARGENT CYRUS Yes, it is inevitable, it will happen, but it will happen while we are here, I dont know.
K Where do you hope to be when the civil war starts?
C When it starts I want to be back home. I don't want to be here for it. So back home in Georgia.
BOMB EXPLODES
00:03:52:00 - KVO
BOMB GONE. . . ON TO THE POLICE ACADEMY
00:03:57:06 - KVO
KIRKUKS POLICE ACCADEMY WAS FORMED SOON AFTER THE FALL OF SADDAM. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. 9000 POLICEMEN HAVE PASSED THROUGH. THE 200 HERE NOW WILL BE THE NEXT BATCH TO FACE THE INSURGENTS. DOES THE ACADEMY'S HEAD THINK HIS MEN WILL BE ABLE TO FACE DOWN THE INSURGENCY WITHOUT AMERICAN HELP.
00:04:17:04 SAMIR MURSHID - (SUBTITLE) Iraq is making progress and by day it is becoming more and more self-dependent.
K (SUBTITLE) Is it true that there are insurgents who have infiltrated the police force?
S (SUBTITLE) We have a saying in Kurdish, "there are no valleys without foxes", of course there are a few, but they get arrested and submitted to the law of the country.
00:04:43:04 - KVO
IRAQI POLICE ARE OFTEN CRITISED FOR BEING HEAVY-HANDED FOR THE WAY THEY TREAT ARRESTED SUSPECTS. I WONDER IF THIS IS TRUE OF KIRKUK'S POLICE. TO FIND OUT, I DECIDE TO TRY MY LUCK AND SEE IF I CAN VISIT KIRKUK'S INTEROGATION CENTRE FOR THE WORST OF THE ALLEGED CRIMINALS.
00:05:01:15 - KPTC
This is Kirkuk's special crime centre, interrogation centre and is used mostly for the insurgents and the terrorists who are committing attacks in this city.
00:05:14:09 - KVO
I NEED TO MEET THE OFFICER IN CHARGE TO GET SPECIAL PERMISSION TO VISIT THE CELLS. WHILE THERE, I ASK HIM WHAT HIS JOB HAS ALREADY COST HIM.
00:05:24:06 ARAZ NAMIQ (SUBTITLE) I have no freedom to go around as I wish in this city. I need to be guarded at all times. Not only have I lost my own freedom but my family have lost theirs too. My wife and children lock themselves in at home and they do not go out. This is the reality of this city.
00:05:45:24 - KPTC
I've been given permission to visit the cell where the suspects are, the insurgents, but I am told for security matter and not to jeopardise their process of interrogation, I won't be allowed to talk to them. However, the officer himself is not going to accompany me because again for security matter, fearing for his life, he doesn't want to show his face to the suspects in the cell.
00:06:16:18
*** SILENCE SHOTS OF PRISONERS ******
00:06:29:01 - KPTC
THIS IS PERHAPS 3X3 ROOM AND I CAN SEE. . . .
PRISONER 1 (SUBTITLE) - ITS 3X4
KPTC 3X4
P1 (SUBTITLE) AND THERE ARE ABOUT 31, 32 OF US.
KPTC FOR HOW LONG
P1 (SUBTITLE) 4 DAYS, 5 DAYS
K (SUBTITLE) How many of you are Arab Sunni? Could you please raise your hand.
P1 (SUBTITLE) I will not answer you this question.
K You don't want to answer me?
P1 (SUBTITLE) No.
K Why?
P1 (SUBTITLE) Because the American have created this, you are Sunni or Shiia. I am a civil engineer in Iraqi Petroleum Company.
K And why are you here?
P1 (SUBTITLE) About twelve, one, o'clock in the night American come to my home, broke the door, the window. They said we have your name, for you help the terrorists. We want the American to leave.
K If the Americans leave Iraq, you will stop doing insurgents acts and terrorism?
P1 Yes, yes, yes.
00:07:51:10 - KVO
IT'S LITTLE WONDER AN ARAB SUNNI WANTS THE AMERICANS TO LEAVE: UNDER SADDAM THEY HAD THE CONTROL OF THE CITY. THEYRE STILL FINDING IT HARD TO LEARN HOW TO SHARE POWER.
00:08:02:02 - K (SUBTITLE) How does the police behave towards you?
P2 (SUBTITLE) The police are good.
AND THIS IS CONFIRMED BY A CROWD OF VOICES.
K (SUBTITLE) Do the police torture you during interrogation?
P3 (SUBTITLE) I don't know I have not seen torture.
00:08:14:01 KPTC
I have been given this very special permission to visit this cell where many suspects are for various reasons.
00:08:20:17 - KVO
WHATEVER THEY'VE DONE AND I CAN'T JUDGE THEIR INNOCENCE OR GUILT THEY ARE VICTIMS TOO OF THIS CHAOTIC SITUATION: WHAT IS CALLED THE NEW IRAQ.
00:08:36:00
Filmed by
Claudio Von Planta
Edited by
Phil Haslam& Karzan Sherabayani
Produced & Directed by
Claudio Von Planta & Karzan Sherabayani
Joka Films 2006