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05/17/2004:

"Baghdad blast kills Iraq's US-appointed leader"

The current head of Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council has been killed in a car bomb blast near the headquarters of the US-led coalition in Baghdad.

Ezzedine Salim was waiting to enter the compound when the bomb went off at 0530 GMT, killing him and several others.

It is not yet clear whether Mr Salim was the target of what US officials say was a suicide attack. Iraq's interim foreign minister has vowed that the political process will not be derailed. news.bbc.co.uk