By Nykoel Dinardo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki vowed, in a statement on October 9, that the perpetrators of the bomb attack that killed Parliament Member Saleh al-Ogaili would be brought to justice.  Al-Ogaili was killed Thursday in a bombing that also killed two of Al-Ogaili’s bodyguards and injured three others.

Iraqi police state that the bomb that killed Al-Ogaili was attached to a motorcycle and went off when the MP’s motorcade drove past.  Al-Ogaili died in the hospital soon after the attack due to severe head wounds.  He was buried on October 10 in the city of Al-Najaf.  The MP is known for being radically anti-American, and a member of the Sadrist party.   Following his assassination, several anti-American protests have been held.

It has also drawn a response from both the Iraqi and the American governments.   The US military has denied any involvement in the attack.  The commander of US forces in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, , and US ambassador in Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, have both condemned the attack.

The Iraqi government has taken a very strong stance in response to this attack.  Prime Minister Al-Maliki traveled to Al-Najaf where he made a public statement vowing to find those involved in this attack.   Al-Maliki said in his statement that the government “reaffirm[s their] determination to get at the hotbeds of terrorism and crime, and arrest and prosecute the killers and bring them to justice.”

Iraqi president Jalal Talabani also made a statement on October 10, condemning those responsible and calling on the people of Iraq to come together against such crimes.  He declared,”All Iraqis, including its political powers, are called on to be unified to ward off all the attempts of planting fight and alienation among Iraqis’ components.”  He also called Al-Ogaili a martyr, and said that those who committed the crime are enemies of the Iraqis.  

For more information, please see:

The Australian – Bomb Kills Anti-US politician Saleh Al-Ogayly In Iraq – 11 October 2008

AFP – Anger Against US Mount As Iraq Shiites Bury Slain MP – 10 October 2008

Xinhua – Iraqi President Condemns Assassination of Shiite Lawmaker – 10 October 2008

BBC – Iraqi MP Killed By Roadside Bomb – 9 October 2008

BBC – Iraq PM Vows to Find MP’s Killers – 9 October 2008

The New York Times – Roadside Bomb in Baghdad Kills Shiite Legislator – 9 October 2008