RAID ON THE NEW OMS (OFFICE OF THE MARTYR SADR) BUILDING, BASRA, 15 SEPTEMBER 2004 (TAPE 1) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: RAID ON THE NEW OMS (OFFICE OF THE MARTYR SADR) BUILDING, BASRA, 15 SEPTEMBER 2004 (TAPE 1) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: BFV 33
  • Other titles: BRITISH MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, 2004 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Members of the Cheshire Regiment and a Company from the London Regiment (TA), alongside elements of MND SE Force Protection and Weapons Intelligence Section and the Iraqi Police's Tactical Support Unit (TSU), raid a building owned by Office of the Martyr Sadr in Basra.
  • Description: Image intensifier scenes as British soldiers approach the target building. Several pick-up trucks of the Iraqi Police Service's Tactical Support Unit (TSU), who are making the official assault on the building, are seen. Soldiers advance slowly and tactically in the dark as the compound is surrounded. The squad leader get a message that the TSU are in the building, and that munitions and IEDs have been found (in the background, a member of the TSU stands on the roof of the OMS Building shining a torch). Scenes inside the compound (still shot using image intensifier). Cameraman is invited forward to see "the stash" - a cache of explosives and weapons that have been discovered. This cache includes rocket-propelled grenades, with their launchers, and sniper rifles. Outside, the courtyard is searched by British and TSU personnel. A large photograph of Moqtadr al-Sadr is on the wall outside. Search of the building continues. Two people are detained and blindfolded. Soldiers and TSU gather beside their vehicles. Man passing on his bicycle is stopped, but after talking (in English) with a soldier is allowed to continue his journey. General views of the assembled vehicles; all is quiet. Local men watch at their house gate. Detainees under guard in the back of a pick-up. Colour scenes at the building, both inside and out. On the outer walls are large portraits of Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Sadeq al-Sadr - the "Martyr Sadr" of the organisation's name - and his son Moqtadr al-Sadr. Torchlit views of the compound (very blurred). Soldiers and TSU continue their inspection. Image fades to black - there is a lot of confused shouting. (It is unclear why the image fades to black - the shouting does not appear to impy a scuffle or attack.) Image returns, and concentrates on a desk containing various electrical items (including a telephone and a small portable stereo). On the wall is a portrait showing Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Sadeq al-Sadr, Moqtadr al-Sadr and Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr. Other posters and a TSU shoulder flash are seen. Troops and TSU gather in the courtyard by the main gate; a Warrior vehicle drives past. Street scenes. Member of the TSU is interviewed by a second camera crew (his voice is indistinct but he is talking in English and talking about the problems with militias). Inside the compound, the cache of weapons and explosives are removed from the room and laid out in the courtyard to be photographed.
  • Alternative Title: BRITISH MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, 2004 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: Colour
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: BFV 33
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 2004-09-15
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Defence Media Operations Centre, RAF Uxbridge (Royal Navy Combat Camera Team) (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires), 1st Battalion (regiment/service) Iraqi Police Service, Tactical Support Unit (regiment/service) Organisation of the Martyr Sadr (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: Basra, Iraq (geography) Operation Telic, Iraq War 2003-2009 (event) British Army post-2000 (theme) Iraq post-2003 (theme)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: DVCam Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Tape length: 40; Running time: 33 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    BFV 33

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    BFV 34 (RAID ON THE NEW OMS (OFFICE OF THE MARTYR SADR) BUILDING, BASRA, 15 SEPTEMBER 2004 (TAPE 2) [Allocated Title]) BFV 86 (RAID ON THE NEW OMS (ORGANISATION OF THE MARTYR SADR) BUILDING, BASRA, 15 SEPTEMBER 2004 (EDIT) [Allocated Title])
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