Iraq confirms its pilot died in plane crash
BAGHDAD (AP) — The body of an Iraqi pilot whose military plane crashed during a training mission in the United States has been found at the crash site, Iraq’s Defense Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry statement said search teams found the body of Brig. Gen. Rasid Mohammed Sadeeq at the crash site in southern Arizona.
He was the only person aboard when the F-16 Fighting Falcon plane went down during a Wednesday night training mission with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, the ministry said.
The crash site was 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Douglas Municipal Airport, southeast of Tucson. A day earlier, a defense ministry official gave a different name for the killed pilot, identifying him as Brig. Gen. Rafid Mohammed Hassan.
The ministry on Friday had no explanation for the conflicting identities.
It said the death of Sadeeq would only make Iraqi security forces “more determined to defeat the forces of terrorism.”
Iraq is expecting its first batch of F-16 fighter planes ”“ along with Iraqi pilots trained in the United States ”“ and spare parts this summer. Iraqi military has said the planes would be immediately used to carry out operations against the extremist Islamic State group.
UK teen arrested
over hoax threats
LONDON (AP) — A British teen has been arrested as part of a joint investigation with the FBI into hoax bomb threats against U.S. facilities.
Police said Friday the bogus threats were made against schools, media companies, airports and airlines.
The police and FBI say the 16-year-old boy committed offenses using Skype, Twitter, MSN Messenger and email.
The teen’s computers and mobile phones have been seized as evidence.
Police say he is also being questioned about malicious phone calls to law enforcement agencies in the U.S.
Police say many of the hoax bomb threats were made between September 2014 and April 2015 to schools and universities in Michigan.
British police say information provided by the FBI was crucial in the investigation.
The teen has not been identified. He is in police custody.
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