Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Iraqis detain 5 Americans in Baghdad
Source: Agencies |
June 8, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IRAQI authorities have detained five United States citizens in connection with the death of an American contractor in Baghdad, officials said yesterday, in what could be the first case of Americans facing local justice under a joint security pact that took effect this year.
The body of Jim Kitterman, who was reportedly bound, blindfolded and stabbed, was found in his car last month in the Green Zone where his construction company was based.
It was an unprecedented slaying in the protected district and occurred at a time when blast walls are coming down and Iraqi forces are assuming greater control of security.
US Embassy spokesman James Fennell said no formal charges have been filed. Embassy officials have visited the men to make sure they're being given their rights in accordance with Iraqi law, Fennell said, adding "the men appeared well."
He said FBI agents were present during a search of the men's quarters at the request of Iraqi authorities who are handling the investigation.
Major General Hussein Ali Kamal, a senior Iraqi Interior Ministry official, said the detained Americans were from the same company, but he declined to give more details.
Although Americans and others have been killed in rocket or mortar attacks in the Green Zone, Kitterman was believed to be the first American ever assassinated there since the protected area was established after the city fell to US forces in April 2003.
Iraq assumed control of the Green Zone on January 1 under a US-Iraqi security agreement, taking primary responsibility from the Americans.
The Iraqis have begun removing some of the protective blast falls around the Green Zone - part of a campaign to restore a sense of normalcy as violence in the city has waned.
The body of Jim Kitterman, who was reportedly bound, blindfolded and stabbed, was found in his car last month in the Green Zone where his construction company was based.
It was an unprecedented slaying in the protected district and occurred at a time when blast walls are coming down and Iraqi forces are assuming greater control of security.
US Embassy spokesman James Fennell said no formal charges have been filed. Embassy officials have visited the men to make sure they're being given their rights in accordance with Iraqi law, Fennell said, adding "the men appeared well."
He said FBI agents were present during a search of the men's quarters at the request of Iraqi authorities who are handling the investigation.
Major General Hussein Ali Kamal, a senior Iraqi Interior Ministry official, said the detained Americans were from the same company, but he declined to give more details.
Although Americans and others have been killed in rocket or mortar attacks in the Green Zone, Kitterman was believed to be the first American ever assassinated there since the protected area was established after the city fell to US forces in April 2003.
Iraq assumed control of the Green Zone on January 1 under a US-Iraqi security agreement, taking primary responsibility from the Americans.
The Iraqis have begun removing some of the protective blast falls around the Green Zone - part of a campaign to restore a sense of normalcy as violence in the city has waned.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
