The head of Iraq's U.S.-appointed Governing Council was "martyred" Monday by a car bomb at a checkpoint in Baghdad, Iraqi sources confirmed to Albawaba.
American forces at the scene said at least eight people were killed in the blast. In addition, at least eight other people were wounded, including two U.S. soldiers, the military said.
Abdul Zahra Othman Mohammad, also known as Izzedin Salim, had been waiting to enter the main U.S.-led occupation compound in Baghdad when the car bomb exploded. Salim was Head of the Islamic Da’wah Movement (Harakat al Dawa al Islamiya) in Basra. He was prominent political activist as well as ab editor of some newspapers and magazines.
Hours after the assassination, the Iraqi Governing Council selected Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, a civil engineer from the northern city of Mosul, to replace Salim, a council member said.
Al-Yawer, a Sunni Muslim, will serve as head of the U.S.-appointed council until the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari vowed Iraqis will not be intimidated by the killing of members
of the U.S.-appointed Governing Council, condemning Monday's second deadly attack on a council member. In September, council member Aquila al-Hashimi died five days after attackers in a pickup truck ambushed her car.
"I'm sorry to report to you the death of the head of the
Governing Council, Izzadine Saleem, whom we lost today in
another terrorist attack," Zebari said, noting al-Hashimi's death as well in remarks at the World Economic
Forum being held at the Dead Sea.
"The Iraqi leaders are the main targets of those
terrorists and anti-democratic forces, and we will not be
intimidated from continuing our path to build a new Iraq,"
Zebari said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
