Westerners Captured in Raid on Iraq Convoy

[Barrett808]

Westerners Captured in Raid on Iraq Convoy
By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen fired on a convoy of sport utility vehicles Sunday evening in the Iraqi capital, and the attackers dragged several "Western-looking men" away, police and witnesses said.

The attack happened at dusk on the main road linking Baghdad and Taji to the north. Three wrecked vehicles — pocked with bullet holes — had crashed along highway barriers.

Two vehicles were set ablaze by a jubilant crowd, which danced and cheered in celebration.

The vehicles were headed south when they were fired on by gunmen in a car headed in the opposite direction, policeman Gazwain Sami said. Fighters then emerged from oncoming cars and dragged five or six Westerners from the wrecked SUVs and drive them away.

The crowd of onlookers then set two of the cars on fire. One of them had blood on the passenger seat. One body wearing a flak jacket could be seen in the driver's seat of one of the vehicles.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_attack&cid=540&ncid=1480

[ugarte]

1. I wonder if these guys still think the money was worth it

eom

[maddezmom]

2. Foreigners Attacked in Baghdad, Some Killed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen opened fire on two civilian vehicles carrying foreigners in northwest Baghdad on Sunday and police at the scene said some had been killed.



The two four-wheel-drive vehicles, of the type used by foreign contractors, employees of the U.S.-led administration and some media in Iraq (news - web sites), appeared to have collided after coming under fire on a main highway, and two bodies could be seen.

~snip~

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=2&u=/nm/20040530/wl_nm/iraq_attack_dc

[maddezmom]

3. BBC link:'Two dead' in Baghdad gun attack

Gunmen have attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying foreign civilians in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
At least two people are reported to have been killed in the attack in the city's north-west.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3762351.stm

[w4rma]

4. What. A. Mess.

:wow:

[maddezmom]

5. Gunmen Kill 2 Foreigners, Seize 3 in Baghdad

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=2&u=/nm/20040530/wl_nm/iraq_attack_dc

[maddezmom]

6. witnesses say 4-5 commandeered a passing car at gunpoint and escaped.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=2&u=/ap/20040530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_attack

[keithyboy]

7. I wonder if these are same people who beheaded Nick Berg?

These 'western-looking' people showing up all of a sudden during heinious attacks in Iraq are beginning to smell of 'special ops.' Do they speak Russian, English, Arabic or what?

[leftchick]

8. Whoa! Here is a photo....

What a fucking mess...



Iraqis loot and burn vehicles after a fatal ambush on a highway on the edge of Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites), Sunday May 30, 2004. Gunmen fired on a convoy of sport utility vehicles killing at least two people, one of them an Iraqi bystander and injuring a pregnant woman, witnesses and officials said. Some witnesses and police said that after the SUVs crashed in the hail of bullets, attackers emerged from the oncoming traffic and dragged five or six 'Western-looking men' away.

[leftchick]

9. photo of the body of one of the "Western looking men"....

Iraqi medics remove the body of an unidentified man as Iraq (news - web sites) onlookers cheer on a highway on the edge of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday May 30, 2004. Gunmen fired on a convoy of sport utility vehicles Sunday evening in the Iraqi capital, and the attackers pulled several 'Western-looking men' from the cars and dragged them away, police and witnesses said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

[nolabels]

10. It's not going to get much better (especially for *)

Like they say in Minnesota, "I'll bet"

[Beetwasher]

11. How Long Before the Next Video is Released?

This is so fucked up and can only end bad...Wonder who they were?

[mike1963]

12. Everything will be fine in four weeks, though, when we hand over power.

Or make a few new signs. Or something.
:eyes:

[Barrett808]

14. I always enjoy the "uptick in violence" claim

As in, "There will be an uptick in violence prior to the handoff." So, on July 1st, the insurgency will say, "Aw, you beat us, we give up."

Or they'll just blow up the interim government.

[maddezmom]

13. it was a British convoy

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20040530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[wellst0nev0ter]

15. Well, Here's A Test For All Those Supporting Torture

If they can't fathom thinking about what will happen to the three captured westerners, then they have no case.

[maddezmom]

16. update from BBC- 4 Escaped unhurt

~snip~
A policeman at the scene said the convoy passengers were dragged away by the attackers, but the Foreign Office denied this had happened.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "The vehicles were immobilised. One Iraqi national was killed in the attack. The body has since been recovered from the scene.

"Four British citizens and another Iraqi national travelling in the convoy got out, flagged down a passing Iraqi vehicle and drove away.

"The second Iraqi national was wounded but not seriously. All five are now safe."

The spokeswoman would not give details about the identity of the Britons, why they had been in Iraq, and whether they were forces personnel or civilians.
~snip~


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3762903.stm

[daleo]

17. Something sounds fishy here

Maybe captured and ransomed, but the authorities don't want to admit that, so they are just pretending it never happened.