This is a short follow-up to my diary on US war correspondent Steven Vincent’s death. Vincent was shot to death August 3 after being kidnapped the night before. Witnesses saw him and his interpreter forced into a white van, similar to the Basra security vans. His interpreter was also shot but she survived. His body was found on the side of the highway. The Scotsman has the story that Vincent was killed over his plans to marry his Muslim interpreter.
Steven Vincent was shot a week before the planned wedding to Nouriya Itais and had already delivered a $2,500 dowry to her family.
The disclosure casts new light on the grip of Islamic religious sects in the British-run south- east of Iraq – raising concern that they will take control once troops start to withdraw. Mr Vincent was abducted from his hotel three days after writing a piece in the New York Times accusing British officials of allowing religious parties to infiltrate the Basra police.
more…
In America, his death was taken as retribution for his article. But in London yesterday, British officials pointed out that the police in Basra believed it was retribution for his affair. LINK
From his American wife:
“Steve always wanted to be a writer,” said Lisa Ramaci, who was married to Vincent for 13 years. “When I met him, he was a cab driver, then he was an art journalist for 10 years, but wanted to get into political journalism. Our place had a great view of the World Trade Center, and September 11 set him on this course.” [Excellent article on Vincent’s last days.]
So the Basra extremists are out to control ‘mixed marriages’ now and this gives us some preview of life in the new Iraq.