The crash landing of a U.S. helicopter near the Iraqi city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, was probably the result of ground fire by fighters operating in the area, the US military said Wednesday.
An earlier statement said the OH-58D Kiowa observation helicopter took fire Tuesday just south of the town and was forced to make an emergency landing, adding that an investigation into the cause of the incident was launched. Neither of the two crewmembers were injured.
On Wednesday, a military official said a preliminary examination indicated the aircraft had been brought down by small-arms fire or a projectile fired from the ground.
In the meantime, Iraq's interim government voted to set up a war crimes tribunal to prosecute senior members of Saddam Hussein's regime, people who attended the meeting said.
The tribunal will be formally established on Wednesday, when the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, temporarily cedes legislative authority to the Iraqi Governing Council so that it can create the court. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
