BAGHDAD // Iraqi security forces have arrested 39 suspected members of al Qa'eda’s front group in the predominantly Sunni western province of Anbar, officials said on Thursday.
The detained alleged insurgents, who apparently tried to invite foreign fighters into Iraq, were paraded in a televised news conference attended by Interior Minister Jawad Bolani and several generals.
"Security forces arrested 39 al Qa'eda members who run terrorist operations in Anbar and also support other criminal operations in Baghdad, and who also tried to invite foreign al Qa'eda fighters to Iraq," Bolani said.
Neither Bolani nor any of the Iraqi generals present detailed any operations the group were plotting, whether any munitions or equipment were seized, or when the raids that led to the arrests were conducted.
On Saturday, the interior ministry said security forces apprehended 12 al Qa'eda militants suspected of helping to take Christians hostage in an October 31 church siege that left 44 worshippers and two priests dead.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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