[ambrose]

Head of Iraqi Governing Council Killed

03:44 AM EST - May 17, 2004

The Associated Press


BAGHDAD, Iraq
The head of Iraqi Governing Council was killed Monday in a car bombing near a U.S. checkpoint in central Baghdad, an Iraqi official said.

Abdel-Zahraa Othman, also known as Izzadine Saleem, was among four Iraqis killed in the blast, according to Redha Jawad Taki, a member of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a Shiite Muslim organization known as SCIRI.

Saleem, the name he went by most frequently, was a Shiite and leader of the Islamic Dawa Movement in the southern city of Basra. He was a writer, philosopher and political activist, who served as editor of several newspapers and magazines.

The attack took place amid rising turmoil in Iraq as this country prepares for the United States to transfer power to an Iraqi interim government June 30. It underscores the risks facing those perceived as owing their power to the Americans.


Hamid al-Bayati, spokesman of SCIRI, said Saleem was trying to enter the Green Zone when the blast occurred and "he was killed." Al-Bayati did not know whether the bomb was triggered by a suicide driver or detonated in some other fashion.

Saleem was in a convoy of five vehicles, and the car carrying the bomb was adjacent to the council chief's car when it exploded, witness Mohammed Laith said. He said Saleem's driver and assistant were among those killed. Saleem held the council presidency, which rotates monthly among a selected group of members.

The bomb destroyed three cars waiting in line to enter the coalition headquarters, which is called the Green Zone, Col. Mike Murray said.

Smoke rose from the site of the blast on the west side of the Tigris River. Firefighters and about 10 ambulances raced to the scene.

A rocket struck the compound of the coalition headquarters on Saturday, wounding one U.S. soldier and one civilian.

He was the second member of the U.S. appointing Governing Council to be assassinated since the group was established last July.

Aquila al-Hashimi, one of three women on the 25-member body, was mortally wounded Sept. 20 when gunmen in a pickup truck ambushed her car as she drove near her Baghdad home. She died five days later.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

BAGHDAD, Iraq
The head of Iraqi Governing Council was killed Monday in a car bombing near a U.S. checkpoint in central Baghdad, an Iraqi official said.

Abdel-Zahraa Othman, also known as Izzadine Saleem, was among four Iraqis killed in the blast, according to Redha Jawad Taki, a member of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a Shiite Muslim organization known as SCIRI.

Saleem, the name he went by most frequently, was a Shiite and leader of the Islamic Dawa Movement in the southern city of Basra. He was a writer, philosopher and political activist, who served as editor of several newspapers and magazines.

..Saleem was in a convoy of five vehicles, and the car carrying the bomb was adjacent to the council chief's car when it exploded, witness Mohammed Laith said. He said Saleem's driver and assistant were among those killed. Saleem held the council presidency, which rotates monthly among a selected group of members.

 

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One battle in a war where our troops are winning every confrontation, and a powerful symbolic win for our enemies, and major loss in leadership for the Iraqi people.

 

We can help by exposing those who continue to embolden this enemy, the American reporters who investigate and spread rumors to undermine and destroy allies - while ignoring decades of real enemy atrocities, goals, actions - and appeasing the big liar - Osama Bin Laden - who remains free of press scandal, unashamed before the free world and his misled followers,  uninvestigated and accountable before the self-appointed immoral authorities in today's press.

 

While members of our free press investigate and attack our courageous SOD Rumsfeld,  Osama's followers - who still work to committ genocide - and committed 911 - are still peddling lies about our troops and our nation, blaming America for the mass-murder of Iraqis under Saddam's evil regime.

 

Our free press is still claiming there was no basis for the war even as they continue to cover-up decades of Saddam's atrocities - and mock the missions and noble sacrifices of all those who are courageously fighting - and dying - to free the brutalized Iraqi people - and who DID rid Iraq of a monster.

 

Our free press, whose freedom was, and is, being purchased in blood, sweat and tears by those they misrepresent today, lie to the world by not investigating,challenging, criticizing, accusing, condemning our enemies  - lie by ommission and commission -  inflaming the Arab world - while choosing to spend their time, resources - and precious freedom - to investigate, challenge, criticize, accuse, condemn our troops, our SOD, our CinC - our allies - misinforming the free world - emboldening our enemies, endangering our troops daily.

 

< /rant>