| Seven Spanish Intelligence Officers Killed in Iraq |
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Saturday, November 29, 2003  MADRID, Spain — Seven members of Spain's military intelligence agency were killed and one was injured on a highway south of Baghdad (search) Saturday when the convoy they were traveling in was ambushed, Defense Minister Federico Trillo confirmed. The eight-member team from the National Intellegence Center (search) was traveling in two vehicles when it was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and rifle fire at Al Mamudiya (search), 18 miles south of Baghdad, as they returned from a mission, he said in comments broadcast live to the nation. The attack took place in an area under command of the U.S. Third Brigade. Journalists for Sky News, Fox News' sister network in Britain, saw four bodies in the road and a jubilant crowd of Iraqis kicking them. Sky News gave an eyewitness account of a mob of 20 to 30 people rejoicing over the bodies. One correspondent saw a child of eight or nine pretending to kick a body. Another person was seen with a foot on the chest of one of the bodies. Shouts of "Praise to Saddam!" were heard. The civilians then reportedly turned hostile to the journalists and they were forced to leave. Spokesmen for Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (search) said the government won't be intimidated nor deterred from its mission of attempting to help Iraq achieve peace and democracy following the long dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and the U.S.-led invasion last March that toppled it. "We are grateful to all the people who serve Spain and Spain's democracy beyond our borders fighting terrorism and guaranteeing freedom and democracy," Justice Minister Jose Maria Michavila said. ~~~~~~~~~ |