BAGHDAD – The wife of an Iraqi judge was injured at approximately 8:45 a.m. 30 June in the Beida neighborhood of northeast Baghdad when she opened a black bag hanging from the gate of her residence; later the same day in south Adhamiyah, another Iraqi Judge narrowly escaped an assassination attempt thanks to the quick action of security guards.

A witness of the attack in Beida said a black bag was hung on the gate of the residence belonging to Iraqi Judge Ghanim Abdullah Znad.
Ghanim’s wife saw the bag and inspected it, which caused a device in the bag to detonate, the witness said. The woman escaped with minor injuries.

Judge Hassan Fu’ad Menahm was preparing to drive away in his car at about 1:30 p.m. in the Waziriya neighborhood of the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad when his security guards, suspecting an attack, yelled for him to get out. Hassan exited the vehicle just before a bomb placed under the driver’s seat detonated. The blast blew a hole in the floorboard and the roof of the vehicle.

“Attacks like these further prove that these criminals and terrorists have no regard for innocent Iraqis, for the rule of law or for those who establish, enforce or adjudicate the law,” said Lt. Col. John Digiambattista, operations officer for 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “They would rather see Iraq burn and remain in chaos.”

Because of the professionalism of the Iraqi Security Forces and the determination of citizens like the Sons of Iraq, numbers of attacks continue to be down throughout Adhamiyah, but recent activity indicates that terrorists are increasingly targeting civic leaders and Iraqi civilians who stand out as emerging leaders in their communities.