July 12, 2007
Su'dad Al-Salihi of Al Hayat, an independent Saudi owned newspaper, wrote on July 12: ""10 seconds is all what the officials in the Green Zone in downtown Baghdad are allowed to try avoiding the missile attacks" according to Daniel Del Castillo, one of the media officers in the American embassy in Baghdad which announced yesterday the death of three people and the injury of 18 others including five Americans due to the almost daily missile attacks on the security zone which is no longer safe. Castillo announced to Al Hayat that the "Green Zone is equipped with sensors that sound alarms when they detect missiles in flight and then they guide the troops to the sources of the enemy fire". He pointed out that these sensors "give those living in the Green Zone a 10 second head start to go to the bunkers."
"Castillo laughs at the idea of building a roof for the Green Zone to avoid missile attacks. He points out that the workers in the embassy will move to a new building inside the green zone in the next few months "which is much safer than the current one". One Iraqi security official based in the Green Zone who asked for his identity to remain secret confirmed to Al Hayat that the "new American embassy building is built in a fashion aimed at avoiding rocket attacks and all other types of outside attacks. It is equipped with a very advanced security detection system and its walls are reinforced to protect against direct hits. Its design is optimized to cater to the vital needs of those working inside it for prolonged periods."
"Concerning the daily missile attacks on the Green Zone, the official announced that these attacks "are waged using multiple firing systems that launch Katyusha missiles or mortar rounds from mobile pads carried on cars and trucks". He stressed that the attacks "are not causing significant losses as the Iraqi officials go to armoured rooms similar to bunkers in the event of an attack".
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