NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — looting — museum — Viewing Item

Pros looted national museum Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030420-070919-1059r http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030420-070919-1059r Experts: Pros looted the National Museum By Mitchell Prothero From the International Desk Published 4/20/2003 7:25 PM View printer-friendly version BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 21 (UPI) -- The looters of the Iraqi National Museum were professionals who planned the theft and came equipped with glasscutters, Iraqi officials told United Press International Sunday. While other looters sacked the offices' computers, the pros seemed to know exactly where the most important artifacts were kept, and went straight for them. Donny George, the director of studies for the state board of antiquities and heritage in Iraq, said that thieves threatened to kill members of his staff when they tried to prevent the theft of important objects. Others who were looting furniture and equipment tended to run away if challenged. "For sure the people knew what they wanted," he said, displaying glasscutters and stone working tools he said no common thief would think to carry. "They were well organized and appear to have planned routes out of the country," he added. "American troops just recovered 42 pieces at the Iraq-Jordanian border." He said there was no evidence that a specific country had helped the local thieves. American experts had warned the Pentagon prior to the war that the museum would be at risk of looting. Two missing pieces in particular were of great importance -- a statue from Arcadia dating to around 2400 B.C. that contains an important inscription, as well as a vase from an ancient Sumerian city near Samara that dates to 3200 B.C. "These things are well known throughout the world," he said. "Museums will not buy them. They are priceless and unique pieces that date back 5,000 years. They are the first products of sophisticated men and artists." "I have lost my heart," George said, adding hopefully, "But (U.S. Secretary of State) Colin Powell says he will help me find it." The massive theft set off an international effort by museums to recover the stolen works, some of which are seminal objects of early civilization. The British Museum has begun circulating details of the missing objects to other museums and dealers to make it harder for the thieves to dispose of them in the mainstream art market. The Italian government is to send a team of police specializing in art thefts to Baghdad to help with the investigation. Meanwhile, Interpol has also circulated information of the stolen items to police departments all over the world. Powell has declared that the United States will also be involved in the recovery effort. But the Bush administration has been widely criticized in world media for failing to protect the museums despite warnings from international experts. Newspaper commentators were still making the point at the weekend that with looting at its height last week, the U.S. Marines in Baghdad had guarded the Ministry of Petroleum, but not the national museum. Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International

Army told to protect museum { April 20 2003 } Blame us troops looters antiquities { April 12 2003 } Culture advisers resign over museum looting Items legal open market { April 15 2003 } Looted art said used to fund terrorists { June 23 2005 } Looters trash museums treasures { April 13 2003 } Looting required fork lift Marines 300 yards away Organized looters had keys { April 17 2003 } Organized outside the country { April 18 2003 } Our heritage is finished { April 13 2003 } Pilagers strip museum of treasure { April 13 2003 } Pros looted national museum Some items returned { April 24 2003 } Us government implicated theft treasures { April 19 2003 } Files Listed: 15

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