Body Found In Fallujah Believed To Be Slain Aid Worker
UPDATED: 1:41 pm EST November 18, 2004
Australia's prime minister said it's likely that a body found in the Iraqi city of Fallujah is that of aid worker Margaret Hassan.
John Howard also said a video that surfaced this week showing a militant shooting a blindfolded woman thought to be Hassan appears to be "genuine."
Australian PM retracts Hassan body statement
18/11/2004 - 07:42:00
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has retracted his statement made earlier today that a body found in Fallujah appeared to be that of kidnapped Irish-born aid worker Margaret Hassan.
Huh?
1. I
know Margaret Hassan was kidnapped.
Wearing a cream shirt, Ms Hassan was shown on the video apparently talking, although no sound could be heard. The tape also showed Ms Hassan's identity papers and a credit card. Unlike most of the previous videos of kidnappings in Iraq,
no militants or banners appeared.
2. I thought Margaret Hassan was killed?
The Arab satellite station al-Jazeera said early this week it had received a videotape showing the murder of a woman believed to be Hassan, a British-Irish national who had lived in Iraq for three decades. -AP
4. So what does the video show?
The video shows a hooded militant firing a pistol into the head of a blindfolded woman wearing
an orange jumpsuit, said Al-Jazeera spokesman Jihad Ballout. The station
received the tape a few days ago but had not been sure of its authenticity until recently, he said.
"We invited British diplomatic officials to come and view it," he told The Associated Press. "It's now likely that the image depicts Mrs. Hassan."
5. So was the video shown at all? Does it even exist?
6. So who's Jihad Ballout? All I see are quotes from him.
[No picture exists of Jihad Ballout.]
[No masthead.]
[Only a few radio interviews.]
[No mention of him on Al-Jazeera.]
7. But they found Margaret Hassan's body, right?
Hassan's body may have been found
Thu 18 November, 2004 07:31
CANBERRA/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The British embassy in Baghdad says the body of a Western woman has been found in Falluja but says it cannot confirm whether it was that of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan.
8. So who's body is it?
Iraq body tested for Hassan DNA
Mrs Hassan had lived in Iraq for 30 years and married an Iraqi
British officials in Baghdad are trying to find out if the mutilated body of a woman found in Falluja on Sunday is that of aid worker Margaret Hassan. - BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4021697.stm
The body of a
blonde-haired woman with her legs and arms cut off and
throat slit was found Sunday lying on a street in Fallujah, a notorious Iraqi enclave for hostage-takers. It has not been identified.
So, for those of you who haven't figured it out yet...there are three points:
- Margaret Hassan was "kidnapped."
- The "orange jumpsuit" video was floated to the media, but shown to no one.
- A corpse with blond hair was found and assumed to be Hassan's.
#1 is possibly true, as a very bad video was released but no group has come forward to take credit. #2 doesn't exist, not even stills. #3 doesn't match Hassan's description, but the DNA test might be different.
DON'T FALL FOR KARL ROVE'S WHISPER CAMPAIGNS.
The Arab satellite station al-Jazeera said early this week it had received a videotape showing the murder of a woman believed to be Hassan, a British-Irish national who had lived in Iraq for three decades. -AP
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday a body found in the strife-torn Iraqi city of Fallujah likely was that of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan. -AP
The apparent slaying of CARE head Margaret Hassan by her kidnappers deepened the chill among aid agencies already fearful of operating in Iraq. -AP
British officials say they believe Hassan was a blindfolded woman seen being shot in the head by a hooded militant on a video obtained but not aired by the Arab television station Al-Jazeera. -AP
On Sunday, Marines found the mutilated body of what they believe was a Western woman on a street in Fallujah during the U.S. assault on the insurgent stronghold. The body, clothed in what appeared to be a purple, velour dress, was wrapped in a blanket, with a blood-soaked black cloth nearby. As of Tuesday night, the U.S. command said the body had not been identified. -AP