[5] ISI, which was then allied to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility[1] for killing 65 people and wounding over 100.

[4] Following the car bombing, the gunmen proceeded to take control over the second floor of the Saladin provincial council's headquarters.

[6] The gunmen did execute three councilmen, including Abdullah Jebara who was an outspoken critic of Al-Qaeda and terrorists, with shots to their heads and set fire to their bodies in front of the hostages.

[citation needed] Iraqi Army forces together with US troops stormed the building, at which point the attackers blew up their explosives, which brought an end to the standoff.

[4] Several days later the Islamic State of Iraq officially claimed credit for the attack.

[12] He worked for Al-Arabiya, CNN, Reuters and other international media as a freelance journalist.

[4] Among the many that lost their lives were government workers, security forces, and journalists Sabah al-Bazil and Muammar Khadir Abdelwahad.