Assassination of Abdul-Majid Khoei in Najaf - 2003-04-10

Abdul-Majid Khoei, a prominent Shia cleric in Iraq who had recently returned from exile, was assassinated today in the city of Najaf. A representative of the Khoei family foundation in London stated that Mr. Khoei and the caretaker of the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, who had been appointed to this position by the government, were stabbed to death by a group of thugs in the mosque. According to this spokesperson, the target of the attack was the mosque's caretaker, not Mr. Khoei. Details of the attack have not yet been confirmed. Abdul-Majid Khoei was the son of Ayatollah al-Uzma Abul-Qasim Khoei, a major Shia religious authority who passed away ten years ago while under house arrest in Iraq. Abdul-Majid Khoei, who returned to Iraq from his exile in London just a week ago, had the support of the United States. Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesperson, strongly condemned the assassination of Abdul-Majid Khoei and expressed the condolences of the U.S. government to his family and survivors. Mr. Fleischer stated that the assassination of Mr. Khoei indicates that the situation in Iraq remains very dangerous.