In four consecutive posts between 18:51 and 18:53 on 12 August, Al-Nujaba TV carried Hussein al-Mousawi, identified on screen as aide to the secretary-general for media affairs, calling "exclusive possession of weapons by the state" a vague term the movement rejects and refusing to surrender weapons while the demand expresses an "external will" aimed only at disarming the resistance. In the same sequence he said condemnation of "the aggression on Iraq by Saudi Arabia and America" has not and will not work, that "the truth has men who defend it," and that the Iraqi government knew in advance of the targeting of PMF headquarters. The rung is credible because the statements come from a named office-holder on the movement's own channel; no independent line on the airspace or headquarters claims was collected.
- Al-Nujaba TVNujaba — official12 Aug, 21:51
“The Iraqi government knew about the targeting that struck Popular Mobilization headquarters.”
الحكومة العراقية كانت على علم بالاستهداف الذي طال مقرات الحشد الشعبي
- Al-Nujaba TVNujaba — official12 Aug, 21:52
“Words of condemnation and denunciation regarding the aggression on Iraq by Saudi Arabia and America have not and will not be of any use, and we attach no importance to them; the truth has men who defend it.”
كلمات الادانة والاستنكار فيما يخص العدوان على العراق من قبل السعودية وامريكا لم ولن تجدي نفعا ولا نعير لها اي اهمية وللحق رجال يدافعون عنه
- Al-Nujaba TVNujaba — official12 Aug, 21:52
“The Iraqi government took no measures over America's and Saudi Arabia's violation of Iraqi airspace, and all the expressions of condemnation and denunciation were timid.”
الحكومة العراقية لم تتخذ اي اجراءات ازاء انتهاك امريكا والسعودية للاجواء العراقية وكانت كل عبارات الإدانة والاستنكار خجولة
- Al-Nujaba TVNujaba — official12 Aug, 21:53
“It is a vague term we do not accept, and we will not hand over the weapons as long as the matter expresses an external will whose aim is only to disarm the resistance.”
مصطلح فضفاض لا نقبل به ولن نسلم السلاح مادام الأمر يعبر عن ارادة خارجية هدفها نزع سلاح المقاومة فقط
A named Nujaba office-holder has put refusal of disarmament and an accusation of Iraqi government complicity in one sequence, which raises the political cost of any inspection or handover mechanism Baghdad attempts.