Islamic Mujahedeen Battalion claims to have been the gunman who, disguised as Iraqi police, set up a fake check-point to stop the convoy and abducted five contracted security workers, including four Americans and an Austrian. Although it was reported by Iraqi police Friday that two of the hostages were freed and one killed, that statement has since been retracted.   more »

Citing the failure of the Shiite-dominant government to deal with the attacks of Shiite militias such as that responsible for the kidnapping of several people from the Ministry of Higher Education in Baghdad earlier this week, Minister Abed Dhiab announced Friday that he is officially suspending cooperation with the government until there is change.   more »