Iraq Freedom Congress Leader Among Injured in Kirkurk Bombing

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Wednesday December 17, 2008 15:00 by pat c

Samir Adil, leader of the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC) was among those injured in an indiscriminate terror bombing of a restraunt in Kirkurk on Friday, 11 December. 55 people were killed and 100 were wounded. The IFC has been working across ethnic divides in Kirkuk to unite local communities against the US occupation and sectarian militias.

Kurdish, Arab and Turkomen leadershad gathered at the Abdullah restaurant to discuss ways to reduce ethnic tension in the city. But many of the victims had simply come to the restaurant with their families to celebrate the end of the four-day Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. Arab leader Hussein Ali Saleh said the Restaurant was the venue for a "meeting of understanding" timed for the Eid celebration. Mr Saleh called the attack a "miserable attempt from the remnants of darkness" to hamper reconciliation attempts in northern Iraq.

After the bombing, Serwan Ahmed, a Kurdish preacher, told his congregation at the Iskan mosque: "Yesterday, the terrorists killed innocent people regardless of their religious and ethnic background. Thus, all the groups living in Kirkuk should be united and work together to enhance peace and solidarity. We must deprive the terrorists from the chance to create more tension in the city."

Samir Adil writes:

The only thing that the "enemies of life" sought in this terrible explosion was to kill innocent people and take the smiles off the faces of the children who had nothing to do with resisting the occupation and its puppets. My comrade Mohammad Aziz and I have always been against the occupation, have struggled against it alongside thousands of libertarians and yet we were targeted among the others. Would this act be called resistance had we were killed? However, I repeat that the occupation turned Iraq into a base for terrorists who brought insecurity to the citizens.

In surviving this tragic incident, my determination is increased to continue the struggle with my comrades and thousands of libertarians to expel the occupation and terrorist groups from Iraq and to continue the struggle to bring a life where human values are appreciated. The responsibility to put an end to the blood bath, to bring joy back to our children, and to restore hope to millions of families who seek a life without fear is placed on our shoulders.

The full text of Samir Adils statement is at:
http://www.ifcongress.com/English/Letters/on-kirkuk-bom...g.htm