Amer al-Hashemi Assasinated

General Amer al-Hashemi Iraqi Vice-President's Tariq al-Hashemi brother has been assasinated [Arabic language]. , Tariq al-Hashemi leads the (Sunni) Iraqi Islamic Party, al-Hashemi's sister Meysoun was assasinated last April 27th (as was his brother Mahmoud two weeks previously.) According to Aswat al Iraq [previous Arabic Language link] the general who held a post as an adviser in the Defense ministry. Was killed by gunmen who stormed his home. "Gunmen clad in the uniform of interior ministry special forces arrived in about 10 vehicles similar to interior ministry vehicles stormed the house of General Amer al-Hashemi in al-Selaikh north Baghdad, shot him dead and fled the place," They also abducted his bodyguards. There is no news yet of their fate. Al-Hashemi is well known for his trenchant criticism of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq his calls for putting a timetable for their withdrawal and, crucially, for his insistence on disarming the militias. markfromireland update: See also this mix 'em gather 'em feeble attempt at a round upAP News reprort on Yahoo News. - mfi Update 2:Abdullah Al-Sabbagh was kidnapped during the assasination. - mfi