A major Islamic State terrorist group’s plot to target pilgrims in Iraq, including poisoning them, has been uncovered, the country’s Supreme Judicial Council has said.
The Iraqi security forces have managed to thwart the terrorist plot in an operation that resulted in the arrest of a network involved in these destructive acts.
Twenty-three suspects, including a woman, were arrested in several areas including Baghdad and southern and central Euphrates provinces, the council said in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out under the direct supervision of the judge of the Karbala investigative court and in co-ordination with the intelligence Falcon Cell, Tesaworld.com website reported.
The suspects confessed to the details of the terrorist plot, which aimed to undermine the security and safety of the pilgrims during their participation in the rituals.
The plot included several dangerous phases, the first of which was to plant explosive devices on the main roads taken by the pilgrims in the southern axis, where they were to be detonated to destabilise security and cause the highest number of casualties.
The second phase involved poisoning the food provided to the pilgrims with deadly toxins. This aspect was managed by a student specialising in the anaesthesia department, highlighting the seriousness of the conspiracy and the extent of its meticulous preparation, the statement said.
The plot also included burning the service processions that provide logistical support to the pilgrims, in order to create chaos and panic among the crowds.
The security forces confirmed that the detainees confessed to carrying out similar terrorist operations earlier, under direct guidance from cells affiliated with ISIS.
Their confessions have been legally documented, in a step aimed at neutralising the terrorist elements before carrying out any new hostile act.
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