Record-breaking serial killer arrested in central Iraq

Babil, Dec. 23 (AKnews) - A record-breaking serial killer accused of the kidnap-slaying of 16 most probably Iraqi Kurds in six months has been arrested by the security forces in Babil province. The man identified by Major General Fadel Radad al-Sultani from the Ministry of the Interior as "Raed Hamid Jawad Unaitis" used to stop vehicles with number plates registered in Kurdish cities taking the drivers hostage and then killed them and burned their bodies. No other Iraqi killers with this high record of killings in the short period have been arrested in Iraq so far. Unaitis was arrested in the western Rabie border crossing on the Syrian border while trying to enter Syria with a fake passport. "The security services in Babil also arrested the gang members who were cooperating with him in his criminal acts," said al-Sultani. The killer used to drive the hostages in their cars back to his home in Bu-Alwan village, north of the capital city Hilla, killed them, burned their bodies and buried the remains in the courtyard of his house, according to al-Sultani. After committing the murders, Unaitis would sell the cars in the Kurdistan Region. The security forces were able to arrest the man only after Kurdish security forces (Asayish) accompanied by Kurdish citizens from Kurdistan Region inquired at Babil province investigative judge about the seller of the cars. Unaitis is the nephew of Mohammed Jawad Unaitis - another wanted man on charges of participating in the mass-grave crimes in 1991 in Kurdistan Region and the southern Iraqi Shia cities following the poplar uprising against the former Iraqi regime. Reported by Bashar Alewi Rn/Ry/AKnews