Iraqi interior minister escapes assassination; nine killed in new attacks

The Iraqi minister of industry in interior Osama al-Najafi said he escaped an assassination attempt north of Baghdad that resulted in killing three of his guards and injuring another.

A spokesman for the ministry said that one explosive went off when the procession of the minister was running near Balad when he was on his way to Musil city, and this resulted in the destruction of the car which was in the lead of the procession.

The source added that this is the 6th attack against this minister after his appointment in this post by the beginning of 2005. It stressed that "the minister was not hurt," adding that the minister gave up his decision to visit Musil and returned back to Baghdad.

Najafi was quoted following one of the assassination attempts against him as saying that what is taking place are but Mafia acts. The statement by the ministry said that the ones "who carries out such acts" are those whose interests were damaged after he canceled contracts (violating its work plan)."

Meantime, security sources confirmed the killing of three Iraqis including one local Kurdish official and one employee in al-Nazaha (transparent) commission, and a member of a civic group in separate attacks. One police man was killed and many were injured in a fire attack targeting their vehicle west of Baghdad.

In Karkouk to the north one police officer said that unidentified gunmen killed on Friday al-Haj Rasheed (50 year old), an official in the offices of the Kurdistani National Federation party, which is led by the Iraqi interim President Jalal al-Talibani.

Gunmen also killed that one employee working the al-Nazaha commission in the military quarters east of Karkouk. In a separate incident in the city, the police said that one butcher who provides the Iraqi army with meat was killed at the hand of unidentified gunmen.