Who To Believe?

American and Iraqi Special Forces clashed with suspected Shiite militiamen Thursday in western Baghdad before calling in airstrikes, the U.S. military said. Residents and police said at least 14 people were killed.

Acting on intelligence information, the U.S. and Iraqi troops launched the early-morning raid in the capital’s Washash area against the suspected terrorist cell, which was believed to be responsible for attacks on police and sectarian killings, the U.S. command said.

As the troops entered the area, they came under fire from more than a dozen militiamen firing from the rooftops.

"Iraqi and U.S. forces then responded with well-aimed and suppressive fire," the military said. "Forces also directed proportional aerial fire onto targeted buildings against positively identified armed gunmen directing small arms fires onto the assault force."

The military reported that four buildings were damaged, "including two enemy strongholds that sustained major damage and two surrounding buildings that sustained moderate damage."

There was no mention of any civilian or suspected insurgent casualties in the statement, and the military did not respond to requests for clarification. Local police said 14 people died.

So who to believe?  Ahmed or our troops?

UPDATE

Maybe this report will shed some light on who to believe:

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Radical Muslim and other extremists have mastered the use of the Internet as a tool for propaganda, organizing and education, the Simon Wiesenthal Center said in a new report Wednesday.

"They are way ahead of the curve in term of using Internet technologies. Right now it’s a clear field for the bad guys," said the Jewish organization’s associate dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper, author of the report "Digital Terrorism."