Anti-al-Qaida leader escapes assassination in Iraq

Iraqi authorities say that a prominent leader of a militia opposed to al-Qaida has escaped an assassination attempt that left five bodyguards killed and four others wounded.
Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan Ibrahim said the today afternoon attack occurred when two suicide bombers attacked the motorcade of Wisam al-Hardan near his house in Baghdad's western Harthiyah neighborhood.
The Sunni tribal sheik was not hurt in the attack.
Al-Hardan was recently appointed by the Iraqi prime minister to lead the Sunni militia known as Sahwa, which joined US troops in the war against al-Qaida at the height of Iraq war. Ever since, it has been a target for Sunni insurgents who consider them traitors.