Fox News reports:

Head of Governing Council Killed in Car Bombing

Monday, May 17, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq ? The president of the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council (search) was killed in a car bomb attack Monday, the council told Fox News.

Abdel-Zahraa Othman, more commonly known as Izzadine Saleem (search), was among four Iraqis killed in the explosion outside coalition headquarters in central Baghdad, council member Nasier al Jaderji said.

Saleem was a Shiite and leader of the Islamic Dawa Movement (search) in the southern city of Basra. He was a writer, philosopher and political activist, who served as editor of several newspapers and magazines.

The attack took place amid rising turmoil in Iraq as this country prepares for the United States to transfer power to an Iraqi interim government June 30. It underscores the risks facing those perceived as owing their power to the Americans.

That is one wickedly effective flypaper they’ve got going over there…