Reply #19: LAT: Slain Writer Was Investigating Graft (in Basra - officials involved?)

[DeepModem Mom]

Slain Writer Was Investigating Graft
American freelancer Steven Vincent was focusing on politics in Basra -- the increasing influence of extremists and alleged corruption.
By Ashraf Khalil and Thomas S. Mulligan, Times Staff Writers


BAGHDAD — Journalist Steven Vincent collected facts for his stories from the streets of Basra, not from official statements. But he knew that the streets of Iraq's second-largest city were becoming increasingly unsafe for him.....Vincent persisted, on a personal mission to uncover the dark political underbelly of Basra. He wrote about it, and some think it may have cost him his life.

The 49-year-old former arts writer was abducted Tuesday night from a downtown Basra street along with Nour al Khal, an Iraqi woman who was his longtime assistant and interpreter. Vincent's body was discovered before dawn, hands bound and shot five times; Khal is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds in a Basra hospital.

Dozens of foreign journalists have been abducted or killed in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to oust President Saddam Hussein. But Vincent's death has new, disturbing implications; he may not have been killed because he was an American or a journalist. He may have been targeted because he was uncovering alleged corruption and influence-peddling in the city's political, security and religious leadership.

Multiple witnesses attest that Vincent and Khal were abducted by men who appeared to be driving police vehicles.

One witness, who refused to give his name, said he recognized one of the abductors as an Interior Ministry employee....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-vincent4aug04,0,2667833.story?coll=la-home-headlines#Scene_1