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| Iraq |
| Iraqi jailed over kidnap and murder of Margaret Hassan |
| 2009-06-02 |
| An Iraqi man was jailed for life today for the kidnapping and murder of aid worker Margaret Hassan. Mrs Hassan, 59, the director of humanitarian group Care International in Iraq, was taken hostage on her way to work in Baghdad in October 2004 and shot dead just under a month later. Ali Lutfi Jassar was given a life sentence at Baghdad's Central Criminal Court today for his part in her abduction and murder and for attempting to blackmail her relatives. The aid worker's family welcomed the court's decision, but appealed to Jassar to tell them where her body is so they can bring her back to Britain. They said in a statement: "We are content that this man has been found guilty. "However, he has still not revealed the whereabouts of Margaret's remains, which would enable us to bury her with the respect she deserves." Jassar, 36, a Sunni architect from Baghdad also known as Abu Rasha, pleaded not guilty to the charges but was convicted after a one-day trial. He was arrested by Iraqi and US forces last year after contacting the British Embassy in Baghdad and attempting to extort 1 million dollars in return for leading them to Mrs Hassan's body. Jassar was the second person to be brought to justice over Mrs Hassan's abduction and murder. Mustafa Mohammed Salman al-Jabouri was given a life sentence by a Baghdad court in June 2006 after being convicted of aiding and abetting the abductors. His sentence was later reduced on appeal. Mrs Hassan's family has been told that three leading members of the kidnap gang who fled Iraq will be tried in their absence. |
| Posted by:ed |