Margaret Hassan

Margaret Hassan (also known as Madam Margaret) (April 18, 1945–November 2004?) was an aid worker who had worked in Iraq for many years until she was abducted and murdered by unidentified kidnappers in Iraq in 2004, at the age of 59. Margaret Hassan This work is copyrighted. ... Margaret Hassan This work is copyrighted. ... is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up abduction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary In logic, abduction is a method of reasoning; see abductive reasoning. ...

Life and career

She was born Margaret Fitzsimmons in Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland, to parents Peter and Mary Fitzsimmons. However, soon after the end of World War II her family moved to London, England, where she spent most of her early life and where her younger siblings were born. At the age of twenty seven she married Tahseen Ali Hassan, a twenty-nine-year-old Iraqi studying engineering in the United Kingdom. She moved to Iraq with him in 1972, when she began work with the British Council of Baghdad, teaching English. Eventually she learned Arabic and became an Iraqi citizen, as was required of foreigners under Saddam Hussein's regime. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   8,405  n/a Website: dalkeyhomepage. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Dublin Code: D Area: 921 km² Population (2006) 1,186,821 County Dublin (Irish: Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath), or more correctly today the Dublin Region[1] (Réigiúin Átha Cliath), is the area that contains the city of Dublin, the capital and largest city... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of the British Council British Council building in London British Council, Hong Kong The British Council is one of the United Kingdoms cultural relations organisations and which specialises in educational opportunities. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Arabic redirects here. ... The word citizen may refer to: A person with a citizenship Citizen Watch Co. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ...

She remained a Roman Catholic throughout her life and never converted to Islam as was widely reported after her death. A requiem Mass was held for her, after her death was confirmed, at Westminster Cathedral by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Westminster Cathedral from Victoria Street Westminster Cathedral in London, England, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral for the Archbishop of Westminster. ... For other uses, see Cardinal (disambiguation). ... His Eminence Cormac Cardinal Murphy-OConnor (born 24 August 1932 in Reading, Berkshire) is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

During the early 1980s Hassan became the assistant director of studies at the British Council; later in the decade she became director. Meanwhile, Tahseen worked as an economist. She remained in Baghdad during the 1991 Gulf War, although the British Council suspended operations in Iraq, and she was left jobless at the end of it. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... Logo of the British Council British Council building in London British Council, Hong Kong The British Council is one of the United Kingdoms cultural relations organisations and which specialises in educational opportunities. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

CARE International

Hassan joined humanitarian relief organisation CARE International in 1991, the aid group having established itself in Iraq during that year. Sanitation, health, and nutrition became major concerns in the sanctioned Iraq; she became a vocal critic of the United Nations restrictions. She was opposed to the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003, arguing before it that the Iraqis were already "living through a terrible emergency. They do not have the resources to withstand an additional crisis brought about by military action". CARE (the full form Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere is almost never used) is one of the largest private international humanitarian organizations in the world, with programmes in over 72 countries. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

By 2004 she was head of Iraqi operations for CARE. Well known in many of Baghdad's slums and other cities, Hassan was especially interested in Iraq's young people, whom she called "the lost generation". Her presence could draw large crowds of locals. [1]

Kidnapping and murder

Hassan was kidnapped in Baghdad on October 19, 2004, and believed to be killed some four weeks later. is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Her kidnappers did not issue any specific demands, but in a video released of her in captivity she pleaded for the withdrawal of British troops. She stated that "these might be [her] last hours", "Please help me. The British people, tell Mr Blair to take the troops out of Iraq and not bring them here to Baghdad" and that she did not "want to die like Bigley", a reference to Kenneth Bigley who had been beheaded in Iraq only weeks earlier. For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Kenneth Bigley and his wife Sombat at their wedding in 1998. ... Beheading. ...

Patients of an Iraqi hospital (where her work had some effect) took to the streets in protest against the hostage takers' actions. On October 25, between 100 and 200 Iraqis protested outside CARE's offices in Baghdad, demanding her release. Prominent elements of the Iraqi resistance, such as the Shura Council of Fallujah Mujahedeen, condemned the kidnapping and called for her release. is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Fallujah skyline before November 2004 battle Fallujah (Arabic: ; sometimes transliterated as Falluja or Fallouja) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69 km (43 miles) west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. ... Mujahideen (مجاهدين; also transliterated as mujāhidīn, mujahedeen, mujahedin, mujahidin, mujaheddin, etc. ...

On November 2, Al Jazeera reported that the kidnappers threatened to hand her over to the group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who were responsible for the murder of Kenneth Bigley. However, on November 6, a statement purportedly from al-Zarqawi appeared on an Islamist website calling for the release of Ms. Hassan unless the kidnappers had information she was aligned with the invading coalition. However, the statement could not be authenticated. Hassan's whereabouts were unknown in the video. is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Al Jazeera logo Al Jazeera (الجزيرة), meaning The Island or The (Arabian) Peninsula (whence also Algiers) is an Arabic television channel based in Qatar. ... Wikinews has related news: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed in airstrike Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Arabic: , , Abu Musab from Zarqa)) (October 20, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born as Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (Arabic: , )was a Jordanian who ran a militant training camp in Afghanistan. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ...

On November 15, U.S. Marines in Fallujah uncovered the body of an unidentified blonde- or grey-haired woman with her legs and arms cut off and throat slit. The body could not be immediately identified, but was thought unlikely to be Hassan, who had brown hair. There was one other western woman known missing in Iraq at the time the body was discovered, Teresa Borcz Khalifa, 54, Polish-born and also a long-time Iraqi resident. Khalifa was released by her hostage takers on November 20. is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Fallujah skyline before November 2004 battle Fallujah (Arabic: ; sometimes transliterated as Falluja or Fallouja) is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69 km (43 miles) west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. ... Teresa Borcz Khalifa (1954-) is a Polish foreign aid worker. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On November 16, CNN reported that 'CARE' had issued a statement [2] indicating that the organization was aware of a videotape allegedly showing Hassan's murder. Al-Jazeera reported that it had received a tape allegedly showing Hassan's murder but was unable to confirm its authenticity. The video shows a woman, referred to as Hassan, being shot with a handgun by a masked man. is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

On December 1, newspapers reported that dental tests carried out on the body found in Fallujah showed that the body was not Hassan's. The British Foreign Office stated that they still believed she was dead. is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

It is not clear who was responsible for Hassan's abduction and murder, and there have been no claims of responsibility as with previous abductions.

On May 1, 2005 three men were questioned by Iraqi police in connection with the murder. is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On June 5, 2006 news reports emerged that an Iraqi man by the name of Mustafa Salman al-Jubouri has been sentenced to life imprisonment for "aiding and abetting the kidnappers" but two other men were acquitted^[1] Margaret Hassan's family said the verdict left them "devastated and appalled" It is unclear what role the others who were aquitted played in the kidnapping or the role of the suspect who was found guilty. is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see News (disambiguation). ...

Aftermath

CARE International suspended operations in Iraq because of Hassan's kidnapping. The last CARE project Hassan completed was one for children with spinal injuries.

The director of the spinal cord clinic she supported in Baghdad, Qayder al-Chalabi, called her loss a huge blow to all Iraqis. "(The killers) made a very big mistake. This was a (sic) wrong person", he said on November 17. "We need to admire and remember her. We must have a ceremony every year to remember her". He believes that a statue should be erected in her honor. 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ...

At least eight other women kidnapped by insurgents during the conflict were released unharmed by their captors (Simona Pari, Simona Torretta, Florence Aubenas, Giuliana Sgrena, Teresa Borcz Khalifa, Hannelore Krause, Marie Jeanne Ion , and Jill Carroll). It is unclear why Margaret Hassan, who was opposed to the war was killed, the kidnappers did not identify their group nor their aims. Florence Aubenas is a French journalist, taking hostage on January 5, 2005 in Iraq along with her translator Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi Categories: People stubs | Foreign hostages in Iraq ... Giuliana Sgrena Giuliana Sgrena (born December 20, 1948) is a well-known Italian journalist and author who works for the Italian communist newspaper Il Manifesto and the German weekly Die Zeit. ... Teresa Borcz Khalifa (1954-) is a Polish foreign aid worker. ... Hannelore Krause (born April 14, 1945) is a German woman, living in Baghdad, Iraq, who was kidnapped by Iraqi militants on 6 February 2007. ... Marie Jeanne Ion (born 1972) is a Romanian journalist for Prima TV, taken hostage in Iraq on March 28, 2005, freed May 22, along with Sorin Miscoci and Eduard Ohanesian. ... Jill Carroll appeared in a video released by the terrorist group, Brigades of Vengeance Jill Carroll (born 1977) is an American journalist who was kidnapped and ultimately released in Iraq. ...

See also

• Paul Marshall Johnson, Jr.
• Eugene Armstrong
• Jack Hensley
• Kim Sun-il
• Kenneth Bigley
• Shosei Koda
• Nick Berg
• Marla Ruzicka
• Occupation of Iraq, 2003-2004

A family photo of Johnson. ... Eugene Armstrong, in orange, seated, before his decapitation by the five men standing over him. ... Jack Hensley, seated in orange, before his beheading by the five men standing over him Jack Hensley (September 22, 1955 – September 21, 2004) was an American engineer from Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, near Atlanta. ... Kim Sun-il (September 13, 1970 – June 22, 2004) was a South Korean translator working in Iraq for Gana General Trading Company, a South Korean company under contract to the U.S. military. ... Kenneth Bigley and his wife Sombat at their wedding in 1998. ... Shosei Koda Shosei Koda (香田証生 Kōda Shōsei, November 29, 1979–November 3, 2004?) was a Japanese citizen who was kidnapped and later beheaded in Iraq of November 3, 2004 while touring the country. ... Nicholas Berg (April 2, 1978 – May 7, 2004) was an American businessman seeking telecommunications work in Iraq during the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. ... Ђ Marla Ruzicka Marla Ruzicka (December 31, 1976 – April 16, 2005) was an activist-turned-aid worker. ... This article deals with the post-invasion period in Iraq and its occupation. ...

External links

• "Iraqi man jailed over Hassan killing"– BBC News 6 June 2006
• "Sister in plea over Hassan body"– BBC News 6 June 2006
• "UK tactics 'led to Hassan death"– BBC News 6 June 2006
• "Weeping Hassan pleads for life" – BBC News, 22 October 2004
• "CARE worker pleads for her life" – CNN, 22 October 2004
• "Plea for Iraq Kidnap Clues" – The Guardian, 24 October 2004
• "Captors threaten Hassan handover" – BBC News 2 November 2004
• "'Zarqawi' call to release Hassan" – BBC News 6 November 2004
• "UK Official: Iraq aid worker believed killed" – CNN, 16 November 2004
• Profile: Margaret Hassan – BBC News, 20 October 2004
• "Who Killed Margaret Hassan?" by Robert Fisk, syndicated from The Independent by The Star (South Africa), 17 November 2004
• "Mystery remains over who killed Margaret Hassan" – The Guardian, 18 November 2004
• Press release from CARE
• "Body found in Iraq wasn't Hassan" – Reuters, 1 December 2004.
• "Three quizzed over Hassan killing" – BBC News, 1 May 2005