FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

WIESENTHAL CENTER: AL-ALOUSI'S FATE IS LITHMUS TEST FOR STRENGTH OF IRAQI  DEMOCRACY

The Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned the murderous attack yesterday on the motorcade of Mithal al-Alousi, who was the Democratic Islamic Party's presidential candidate in Iraq's recent election. While the Iraqi politician and peace activist survived, his two sons and a bodyguard were killed in a hail of bullets. It was the second assassination attempt against him in less than a month.

"Mr. Al-Alousi has had the courage to visit Israel and openly supports establishing relations with the Jewish State," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper. "As a result he has been targeted for assassination by the terrorist insurgents who daily rain murder and mayhem upon Iraqi citizens who seek to live in a society guided by principles of fairness and democracy.  On behalf of the Center's 400,000 constituent families, I extend our condolences to Mr. Al-Alousi over the murder of his two sons."

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe.

For more information, please contact the Center's Public Relations Department, 310-553-9036 or visit www.wiesenthal.com.