The Canal Hotel Bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, in the afternoon of August 19, 2003, killed at least 24 people and wounded over 100. The explosion damaged a spinal cord treatment center hospital nearby and the shockwave was felt a mile away. The United Nations had been using the building as its Baghdad headquarters since 1991.
List of victims (incomplete)
- Sérgio Vieira de Mello, 55 (Brazil): UN Secretary-general's special Iraqi envoy.
- Ranillo Buenaventura,47 (Philippines): UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (Vieira de Mello's chief of staff)
- Richard Hooper, 40 (United States): UN Department of Political Affairs.
- Marilyn Manuel, 53 (Philippines): Member of Vieira de Mello's staff.
- Jean-Selim Kanaan, 33 (Egypt): Member of Vieira de Mello's staff.
- Fiona Watson, 35 (Britain): Member of Vieira de Mello's staff
- Chris Klein-Beekman, 32 (Canada): UN Children's Fund's program coordinator.
- Manuel Martin Oar (Spain)
- Arthur Helton, 54 (United States): US Council on Foreign Relations.
- Gillian Clark, 47 (Canada): Christian Children's Fund
- Nadia Younes, 57 (Egypt): UN spokeswoman
- Martha Teas, (United States): manager of UN humanitarian coordination office
The bombing
The explosion occurred while Benon Sevan, director of the "Oil for food" program, was holding a press conference. Sevan was among the wounded.
There is speculation that Vieira de Mello may have been specifically targeted in the blast due to the proximity of the truck to his office. The UN building may have beem chosen due to its limited security. Although the UN is generally thought of as a neutral organization, it was not popular in Iraq due to its role in adminstrating the embargo against Iraq in force since the end of the First Gulf War.
It was most likely caused by a suicide bomber driving a truck full of explosives. The vehicle has been identified as a 2002 large flatbed Kamaz (manufactured in Eastern Europe; part of the former Iraqi establishment's fleet). Investigators in Iraq suspect it was from old munitions, including a single 500-pound bomb. The materials may have been from Iraq's prewar arsenal. Investigators comment that such items would not require any "great degree of sophistication" to assemble.
Suspects
Proposed suspects responsible:
- "Dead enders" of Saddam's removed regime
- Foreign agents (such as al-Qaida)
- Members of Ansar al-Islam terrorist group
An otherwise unknown group called the Armed Vanguards of the Second Mohammed Army has claimed they were responsible for the attack [1].
Responses
The suicide bombing of the United Nations in Baghdad drew widespread condemnation.
Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General, commented that the bombing would not stop the organization's efforts to rebuild Iraq, and told: "Nothing can excuse this act of unprovoked and murderous violence against men and women who went to Iraq for one purpose only: to help the Iraqi people recover their independence and sovereignty, and to rebuild their country as fast as possible, under leaders of their own choosing."
There are two main views generally on the attack.
One points out the resolve with the coalition over the attacks on the United Nations. This view states the need for a multilateral effort to defeat the terrorists that commited the bombing. The escalation to suicide bombing in Iraq transcends the debate over the war and underscores the terrorists' attempts to isolate the United Nations. According to this viewpoint, that is unacceptable.
United Arab Emirates' Gulf News state "the saboteurs in Iraq have got it wrong [...] If they are trying to win the 'hearts and minds' of Iraqis to get consensus on the withdrawal of the coalition forces, then they are mistaken. Sabotaging utility services will never achieve that aim. On the contrary, it will only ensure that coalition forces remain longer to keep good their objective of rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure."
The other viewpoint points to internationalism, stating that the coalition is responsible for the absences of order in Iraq. This view also states the need for a multilateral effort to defeat the terrorists that commited the bombing.