Son of prominent Iraq Shiite leader attacked

Source: Agence France-Presse

Son of prominent Iraq Shiite leader attacked

1 hour, 16 minutes ago

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - The son of prominent Iraqi Shiite leader Abdel
Aziz al-Hakim came under attack in a town south of Baghdad in which
six of his security personnel were wounded, officials said Friday.

Ammar al-Hakim, himself a well-known cleric and politician, was on
his way to Baghdad from the Shiite holy city of Najaf when gunmen
fired on his convoy as it passed the town of Latifiyah, Najaf
provincial spokesman Ahmed Duaibl said.

"The convoy came under attack in Latifiyah. It was fired at from a
distance," he told AFP, adding that it may have been an opportunistic
attack on an official-looking motorcade rather than a planned
assassination bid.

An official from Hakim's office said four police escorts and two of
his personal bodyguards were wounded in the attack. Hakim escaped
unhurt, the source added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070420/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestshiiteattack_070420082541

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Also: FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, April 20 - Reuters

Source: Associated Press

Clashes erupt near west Baghdad mosque

By HAMID AHMED, Associated Press Writer
19 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - Clashes erupted between gunmen and U.S. and Iraqi
forces around a Shiite mosque in western Baghdad just before
Friday prayers, witnesses and local media said. The U.S.
military said it was looking into the reports.

-snip-

One witness to the clash before prayers said American helicopter
gunships fired on the mosque in Baiyaa, a religiously mixed
neighborhood in western Baghdad, just before noon.

"We were unarmed worshippers heading to the mosque for Friday
prayers, and American Apache (helicopters) and tanks bombed the
mosque and opened fire on worshippers," said Bassem Abu Ali, who
lives nearby.

He said four people were killed and seven others hurt. But Iraqi
police and the U.S. military could not confirm the account. State
television also reported a "coalition jet fighter" bombed the Ali
al-Baiyaa mosque, but gave no further details.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070420/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq