Iraq arrests suspects over extremist propaganda in Baghdad and Karbala

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's National Security Agency said several suspects were arrested in Baghdad and Karbala on charges of spreading extremist ideology and disturbing public order, operations carried out in parallel with the security plan for Ashura commemorations. In the first operation in Baghdad, security forces identified a suspect in the Abu Ghraib district accused of disseminating ISIS propaganda on TikTok, inciting sectarian hatred and insulting religious figures. Three mobile phones and books containing extremist content were seized from the individual. A second Baghdad operation led to the arrest of a person in the Al-Jihad neighborhood who was identified as having torn a flag bearing a Husseini symbol, according to the agency. In Karbala, security forces intervened near the shrine of Imam Hussein after a group of 14 foreign nationals attacked other visitors, creating a risk of disrupting public order during the crowd incident. The agency said the operations were conducted under judicial warrants issued by competent judges and that all suspects have been referred to investigation units for legal proceedings.