Friday, April 13, 2007
Parliamentary session in defiance of terrorism
Politics, Security
(AP) - Few Iraqi lawmakers managed to attend a rare emergency legislative session Friday, a day after a suicide bomber ripped through their cafeteria in a brazen attack inside Baghdad's U.S.-guarded Green Zone. Both Iraqi and American officials Friday revised down their estimates of those killed in the suicide bombing, which penetrated several layers of security. The U.S. issued a statement saying one civilian was killed.
But Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani opened Friday's session by asking members of recite verses from the Quran to mourn the death of a "hero, the parliament member Mohammed Awad." Awad, a Sunni, was a member of the moderate National Dialogue Front. Party leader Saleh al-Mutlaq also confirmed his death, and said a female lawmaker from the same list was wounded.
Friday's emergency meeting had been scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., but began nearly 1.5 hours late, apparently because of low turnout and increased security measures. Many lawmakers were unable to reach the parliament building, whose interior was still in shambles Friday, because of a weekly driving ban on the Muslim day of rest. Mohammed Abu Bakr, head of the parliament's media office said, "the MPs' turnout is very low today because most of them are visiting those who were wounded by the blast," he said.
Parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani called for the session, a rare occurrence on Friday, to "defy terrorism," state television quoted him as saying. State-run Iraqiya television's transmission was draped Friday in a black mourning banner. Regular programming aired, but the screen had a black stripe across the upper left hand corner.
But Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani opened Friday's session by asking members of recite verses from the Quran to mourn the death of a "hero, the parliament member Mohammed Awad." Awad, a Sunni, was a member of the moderate National Dialogue Front. Party leader Saleh al-Mutlaq also confirmed his death, and said a female lawmaker from the same list was wounded.
Friday's emergency meeting had been scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., but began nearly 1.5 hours late, apparently because of low turnout and increased security measures. Many lawmakers were unable to reach the parliament building, whose interior was still in shambles Friday, because of a weekly driving ban on the Muslim day of rest. Mohammed Abu Bakr, head of the parliament's media office said, "the MPs' turnout is very low today because most of them are visiting those who were wounded by the blast," he said.
Parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani called for the session, a rare occurrence on Friday, to "defy terrorism," state television quoted him as saying. State-run Iraqiya television's transmission was draped Friday in a black mourning banner. Regular programming aired, but the screen had a black stripe across the upper left hand corner.
Security officials at parliament, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing, said they believed the cafeteria bomber was a bodyguard of a Sunni lawmaker who was not among the casualties. Caldwell said the attack bore the trademarks of al-Qaida in Iraq. "We don't know at this point who it was. We do know in the past that suicide vests have been used predominantly by al-Qaida," he said.
It would be the second time in less than a month that a bodyguard wearing a suicide vest attacked a Sunni official. On March 23 a member of Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie's security detail exploded his suicide vest and seriously wounded al-Zubaie, the highest-ranking Sunni in the Iraqi government.
It would be the second time in less than a month that a bodyguard wearing a suicide vest attacked a Sunni official. On March 23 a member of Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie's security detail exploded his suicide vest and seriously wounded al-Zubaie, the highest-ranking Sunni in the Iraqi government.
Labels: Iraqi parliament, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Mohammed Awad
