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Islamic Army in Iraq claims mortar fire near parliament

3/29/2005:

DUBAI - The Islamic Army in Iraq, one of the main armed groups in the country, claimed responsibility Tuesday for the firing of mortar rounds near the convention center in Baghdad where the new Iraqi parliament was meeting.

A unit fired "four mortar rounds against the seat of the Iraqi National Assembly in the Green Zone where a meeting was underway in the afternoon," the IAI said in a statement posted on the Internet.

The authenticity of the statement could not be confirmed.

Two mortar rounds struck near the convention center where MPs were gathering for the session at around 1:15 pm (1015 GMT).

The center is located inside the heavily fortified city center compound known as the Green Zone, which also contains the US embassy and the offices of the interim government.

The Islamic Army in Iraq has repeatedly taken credit for attacks and for the abduction -- and sometimes killing -- of foreign hostages.

Former French hostage in Indonesia Jean-Jacques Le Garrec, front, right, reads a text calling for the release of French journalist Florence Aubenas and her Iraqi guide Hussein Hanoun, who were kidnapped in Iraq 78 days ago, during a ceremony in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris Thursday, March 24, 2005. Standing behind from left: are former hostages Roger Auques and George Hansen (kidnapped in Lebanon), Roland Madura (held in Indonesia), Eric Giet (held in Iraq) and Jean-Paul Kauffmann (held in Lebanon), all of them reporters. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

France Has 'Reassuring' News on Iraq Hostage - PM

PARIS (Reuters) - The French government has "reassuring" news about a French reporter kidnapped in Iraq in January, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin told parliament on Tuesday. He gave no details.

"Following the appeal we launched for the kidnappers to contact our country's official services, the French official services today have reassuring news," Raffarin said in comments to the lower house of parliament.

"We now have contacts which seem to have stabilized, allowing us to have some hope," Raffarin said.

But he added: "Caution remains our rule."

Journalist Florence Aubenas was taken hostage with her Iraqi driver Hussein Hanun al-Saadi in Baghdad on Jan. 5. Little is known about her fate since then.

Raffarin launched a direct appeal to her kidnappers after the reporter was shown alive in video footage released by Iraqi insurgents on March 1. Looking distraught and fragile, Aubenas made a desperate appeal for help.

France had hoped its opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq would help it secure her release, as it did in the case of two French journalists freed in December after four months held hostage by Iraqi militants.

But concern is growing in France that its firm line on Syria after last month's killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri may hinder its efforts. Syria has denied any involvement in Hariri's killing.