Home > Canal Hotel Bombing

1 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 been 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 administration of the sanctions against Iraq in force since the end of the First Gulf War, which, according to UNICEF figures, were directly responsible for the deaths of half a million Iraqi children and a huge rise in the mortality rate. The recent Security Council decision to retrospectively sanction the US occupation, a direct breach of the UN charter, has only added to the anger felt by many Iraqis towards the organization.

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.

2 Eyewitness accounts

• Senior WHO official, Dr David Nabarro, describes his experience in the UN bombing

3 List of victims

• Sérgio Vieira de MelloSergio Vieira de Mello ( March 15, 1948 August 19, 2003) was a Brazilian diplomat who worked for the United Nations (UN) for over 30 years, earning respect and praise around the world for his efforts in the sometimes amorphous humanitarian programs of the, 55 (Brazil): UN Secretary-general's special Iraqi envoy.
• Saad Hermiz Abona
• Renam Al-Farra , (Jordan): an employee of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
• Raid Shaker Mustafa Al-Mahdawi
• Emaad Ahmed Salman Al-Jobary
• Omar Kahtan Mohamed Al-Orfali
• Leen Assad Al-Qadi
• Ranillo Buenaventura , 47 (Philippines): UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
• Gillian ClarkGillian (Jill) Clark (1956? August 19, 2003) was a Canadian aid worker who was killed in the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq. Ms Clark was working for the Christian Children's Fund (CCF) at the time. She was a graduate of the University of Guelph. Around 1988, 47 (Canada): Christian Children's FundThe Christian Children's Fund is a Christian charity that helps children who live in poverty. External link .
• Arthur HeltonArthur Helton ( January 24 1949 August 19 2003) died in the Canal Hotel Bombing. He was a lawyer, refugee advocate, teacher and author who dedicated his professional life to working with refugees and recommending ways to ease their plight. Helton began hi, 54 (United States): director of peace and conflict studies at the US Council on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a think tank which describes itself as "dedicated to increasing America's understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U. foreign policy. The Council accomplishes this mainly by promoting constructive, clo.
• Richard Hooper , 40 (United States): UN Department of Political Affairs.
• Reza Hosseini , (Iran): employed by UN Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq
• Ihsan Taha Husein , Iraqi: UN office for project services
• Jean-Selim Kanaan , 33 (Egypt): Member of Vieira de Mello's staff.
• Chris Klein-BeekmanChris Klein-Beekman ( September 1971 August 19, 2003) was a Canadian aid worker who was killed in the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq. Klein-Beekman was working as the UNICEF program co-ordinator for Iraq. He had been in the country since May 2002. He had als, 32 (Canada): UN Children's Fund's program coordinator.
• Manuel Martin OarSpanish Naval Captain Manuel Martin Oar (1947 2003) died from injuries sustained in the truck bomb attack on the United Nations' Baghdad headquarters on Tuesday August 19, 2003, which killed 24 people. He was working for the Spanish special ambassador to, 56 (Spain): naval captain, assistant to the Spanish special ambassador to Iraq
• Khidir Saleem Sahir
• Alya Souza (Iraq): worked for the World Bank
• Martha Teas , (United States): manager of UN humanitarian coordination office
• Basim Mahmoud Utaiwi
• Fiona Watson, 35 (Britain): Member of Vieira de Mello's staff
• Nadia Younes, 57 (Egypt): Chief of Staff for Vieira de Mello

( Marilyn Manuel , 53 (Philippines), a member of Vieira de Mello's staff originally listed as dead, stunned her family when she called home, not knowing they had been told she was dead. They had been busy arranging her funeral.)