A rebellion that caused the deaths of six guards and 10 inmates at a prison in Baghdad was sparked when a detainee accused of leading a deadly attack against a Christian church seized an officer’s pistol early Sunday morning.

The inmates’ ability to go on a rampage and kill so many guards raises concerns about the adequacy of Iraq’s detention facilities, where numerous high-value prisoners are being held. –ARK

The New York Times:

Several inmates seized a cache of grenades and weapons and killed six security officers, including a high-ranking counter-terrorism official. The inmates overran part of the jail until they were beaten back by an Iraqi police assault team at about 4:30 a.m. Ten inmates were killed, the officials said.

… Iraqi officials said that the assault appeared to have been planned in advance, but they provided few other details. The office of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki released a statement saying he had formed a committee to investigate. He ordered security forces to be “more alert” to prevent future breaches.

… Iraqi politicians were quick to criticize security measures in the facility, where the grenades seized by the inmates had been sitting on a table. Critics said that officers in the jail appeared to underestimate the threat posed by the inmates.

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