On June 24th, 2004 over ninety people were killed and over 280 wounded in a series of bombings that hit Mosul, Ba'qubah, Ramadi, Baghdad and Fallujah. Christian Parenti Reported From Baquba on Thursday's events (Audio).
On June 1, the Iraq Interim Governing Council dissolved after choosing Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer as the new Iraqi President. According to most US press sources Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani endorsed the new Interim government, but his actual statement was qualified. Many Iraqis question what power the Interim government will really have after the June 30th "handover".
The Iraqi Interim Governing Council was established by the US on July 13, 2003. The Governing Council was given limited power and was subject to the authority of the Coalition Provisional Authority administrator Paul Bremer. Among the few decisions made by the Governing Council during its short life were the replacement of Iraq's former secular family law with Shari'a family law and the establishment of a new Iraqi flag. Most Iraqis saw the governing council as US puppets and two members were assassinated. On Sept 20th 2003, Aqila al-Hashimi was wounded in an attack and died 5 days later. On May 17th 2004, the President of the Governing Council Ezzedine Salim was killed in a car bomb in Baghdad. Since the presidency of the Governing Council was rotating, many Iraqis were surprised to learn who their President was when they heard of his death.