Thursday, September 20, 2007
Suspect in murder of Russian diplomats arrested
Security
(AP) - Iraq's foreign minister said Iraqi authorities have arrested a man suspected of organizing the murder of four Russian diplomats in Baghdad last year, Russian news agencies reported Wednesday. Speaking during a trip to Russia, Hoyshan Zebari was quoted by Interfax and RIA-Novosti as identifying the suspect as a man named Abu Nur and said he was a member of the terrorist group al-Qaida in Iraq.
"We have arrested one suspect. All efforts are now being taken to speed up the investigation," he was quoted by RIA-Novosti as saying. No further information was given. Law enforcement officials in Baghdad could not be reached for comment because of the Ramadan holiday. The abduction and killing of the diplomats in Baghdad in June 2006 angered Moscow, which complained that Iraqi and U.S. coalition forces were not doing enough to provide security in Baghdad.
Russia has been a consistent critic of the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq. In January, after the Russian Embassy in Baghdad was shelled, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to complain about the security situation.
"We have arrested one suspect. All efforts are now being taken to speed up the investigation," he was quoted by RIA-Novosti as saying. No further information was given. Law enforcement officials in Baghdad could not be reached for comment because of the Ramadan holiday. The abduction and killing of the diplomats in Baghdad in June 2006 angered Moscow, which complained that Iraqi and U.S. coalition forces were not doing enough to provide security in Baghdad.
Russia has been a consistent critic of the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq. In January, after the Russian Embassy in Baghdad was shelled, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to complain about the security situation.
Labels: Abu Nur, Al Qaeda in Iraq, Hoyshan Zebari, murder, Russian diplomats
