Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Freedom: still on the march!

(No, this isn't the same story I posted a few days ago. It's happening again.)

Newly Crowned Miss Iraq Fears for Her Life

AMMAN, Jordan - Iraq's newly crowned beauty queen has gone into hiding, fearing she will be targeted by Islamic militants who reportedly threatened to kill other women who participated in a Baghdad pageant last week.

Silva Shahakian, an Iraqi Christian, received the title of Miss Iraq when the initial winner stepped down after receiving death threats and two other runners-up also bowed out, a person familiar with the event said Wednesday.

Since receiving the crown, Shahakian has been lying low, fearing she will be targeted, he said....

The man spoke on condition of anonymity, refusing to be identified further, saying he also feared retribution from militants....

Shahakian was quoted by ABC's "Good Morning America" as saying she will keep her title, but that she planned to change her residence.

"This chance does not come to every girl. So, I'm lucky to have that. I'm not going to lose it," she said on the program Tuesday....


Ah, but remember: If anything happens to her, or to her spokesman, it'll be yet more proof that the evildoers are "desperate."

(Via DU.)

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