Democracy In Iraq

“Shall I contact him or not.” I have asked myself this question several times, but when I found another option I dialed another number.

It was a breaking news, “ Saddam defense lawyer, Khamies Al-Ubaidi is killed.” So, we have to make a story, I began to contact all people associated with Khamis but the result was so negative.

I tried his close friend who is a lawyer too, his wife was on the telephone, I asked her about her husband, she said he was abroad, I asked her if she knows anything about Khamis killing, the woman shouted in the telephone out of her shock and sadness,
“ No, he is such a nice man, how did they kill him?”

I told her, you do not watch TV? She said” there is no power at home.” I told her news saying that he was kidnapped and then killed.

I tried the head of the lawyers union, he was in his way to Mousel, I tried other numbers, all of them either switched off or ringing without answer.

I left with one choice only, I will try Khamis phone number though his telephone now might be in the hand of his killers but I will do it, “No, I won’t do it.” “ I will do it.”

I dialed Khamis number, it is ringing, Oh, No, How is that it is still ringing? They must have thrown it somewhere.

I tried again and again till a woman answered me, Oh , My God, I asked her who is she? She said “ Iam Khamis wife.”

But how is that you still have khamis telephone with you while he is kidnapped?

We were at home, Khamis was in his bed, when more than 15 armed man stormed our house at 7 am, wearing civil uniform and grabbed Khamis from his bed. I asked them who are you? They told me “we are the security of the Ministry of Interior.”

Did khamis tell you anything before he leaves?

They did not let him say a word but they turned to me and said “ We warn you and any member of his family to go to the forensic department and take his body, all of you will be killed.” All I want now is to take Khamis body and leave with my three kids.

What about Khamis brothers?

They are all in Haditha, the town is under a siege, mobiles are off there, they do not come to Baghdad because they will be killed on their IDS.

It is true, Iam working on Haditha massacre story, there is no way to contact people there only by Thuraya or if they come to Baghdad, something they rarely do.

Khamis body later on found in Sader city, tortured severely, an eye witness from the city itself said “ Khamis body was on the ground, any one passes by give it a bullet among shouts of condemnation for any person defends Saddam.”

“Democracy wanted to kill all the Americans who brought her to this country before it would kill herself as she is watching all the atrocities committed in Iraq under her name.” A lawyer commented on Khamis killing.