Member of Iraq's Governing Council Critically Wounded in Assassination Attempt

Associated Press ^ | Sep 20, 2003 | Associated Press

[New Horizon]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Aquila al-Hashimi, a member of Iraq's Governing Council, was shot and critically wounded Saturday in an assassination attempt outside her home in western Baghdad, police and doctors said. Al-Hashimi was in critical condition with abdominal wounds, a doctor at al-Yarmouk hospital said on condition of anonymity. After surgery she was moved to an unspecified location in a convoy of American armored vehicles and military ambulances.

Three of her bodyguards also were injured, said Mohammed Abdul Ghany, a security official at the al-Yarmouk hospital.

Members of al-Hashimi's security detail said the attack was carried out by men in two new SUVs. They fired rocket-propelled grenades that missed her car, then opened fire with Kalashnikov assault rifles.

A neighbor, Khola Ibrahim, said she was in her kitchen when she "heard shooting, very heavy shooting."

Another neighbor, Saba Adel, said al-Hashimi's brother - who acted as one of her bodyguards - knocked on her door crying out "My sister, my sister!"

Saba Adel said she saw another bodyguard lying on the sidewalk wounded in the arm and leg.

"He looked in terrible condition," she said.

[BenLurkin]

Sad news. Prayers for our troops.

[Sacajaweau]

Geez, these bas***** continue to kill their own!! That's some country Saddam created. A country ruled by fear. We should have taken him out sooner. This is the same thing Hamas has been doing for years. When will the world step up to the plate and help protect these people, too.

[TheBattman]

Shows that these Satanic Islamists don't understand logic....

They claim they want the US/West out of Iraq. We have already stated that we are there until all is as stable as possible.

Assasination of Iraqi leaders, even appointed leaders, is a step towards some stability. The murder or attempted murder of the ruling council just sets back the issue of stability, thus lengthening the US's stay in Iraq. If these idiots would just co-operate, they will have their country back far quicker than if they keep interfering.

A glass parking lot over much of the middle east keeps sounding more and more attractive.