Prominent Iraqi judge assassinated in Basra

Taha al-Basri, a former chief judge at Basra's highest criminal court, was gunned down as he drove to work, said Lt Col Karim al-Zaidi, an information officer at Basra's police headquarters.

The judge's bodyguard was seriously wounded in the attack and was taken to a hospital, al-Zaidi said.

Insurgents in Iraq have frequently targeted Iraqi government officials.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1239225,00050004.htm

A prominent Iraqi judge has been assassinated in the southern city of Basra, police say.

Taha al-Amiri, a former chief judge at Basra's highest criminal court, was shot as he drove to work, a police spokesman told the Associated Press.

The judge's bodyguard was seriously wounded in the attack by two men on a motorcycle, AP reported Lt Col Karim al-Zaidi as saying.

Insurgents in Iraq have frequently targeted Iraqi government officials.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4259487.stm

BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Masked gunmen have assassinated the chief judge in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, a Reuters witness and doctors say.

Video footage on Saturday showed the body of the judge, Taha al-Amiri, lying in a hospital mortuary following the attack. Witnesses said his vehicle was stopped by four masked gunmen as he drove through the centre of Basra. His driver was wounded in the attack.