DUBAI, 6 April 2003 — Al-Jazeera television broadcast videotape on Friday which it said was made by two Iraqi women who set off a suicide car bomb outside Baghdad, killing five people including three soldiers.
Iraq’s satellite channel later broadcast the same footage, saying the two women had conducted a “martyr operation” that had destroyed nine enemy armored vehicles.
The two separate videotapes showed the women vowing to strike at US-led invaders. “I swear to God to sacrifice myself in jihad (holy war) against infidel Americans, British and Israelis to defend my country’s beloved soil,” said one of the women, holding a rifle and placing the other hand on the Qur’an.
Standing in front of an Iraqi flag, the other woman recited verses from the Qur’an and said: “I swear to God ... that I will defend Iraq and take revenge from the people’s enemies, the Americans, imperialists, Zionists, reactionaries and Arab defeatists.”
“You will be proud of your sisters, history will be proud of them,” she said, without referring to the mission they planned to carry out. Iraqi satellite television later showed the same tapes, and named the women as Nosha Majli Al-Shambari and Widad Gameel Al-Dileimy.
“The martyr operation led to the destruction of nine armored vehicles... This sacrifice will increase the pride of heroes ... so enemies will learn lessons they’ll never forget,” the Iraqi announcer said.
Qatar-based Jazeera quoted Iraqi media as saying the two women had carried out the suicide bombing overnight at a checkpoint northwest of Baghdad by US-led special forces, in which the U.S. military said three soldiers, a pregnant woman and the driver were killed. If confirmed, it would be the second suicide attack since US-led forces invaded Iraq on March 20 in a war to oust President Saddam Hussein.
