The mysterious murder case of Wissam Al Hashimi

Dirk Adriaensens BRussells Tribunal - 04 April 2006

Dr. Wissam Al Hashimi was kidnapped and murdered in August 2005. The announcement of this murder by his daughter Tara can be read underneath.

Dr. Al-Hashimi authored a large number of scientific papers, in both Arabic and English, published in local, Arab, and international journals, and covering a wide range of topics, including carbonate sedimentology and diagenesis, petrology, mineralogy, geoarchaeology, engineering geology, underground storage, industrial rocks and minerals, and hydrology. He was also a regular contributor of analytical articles to newspapers in Iraq covering various political, oil, and water issues in the Middle East and the Arab world.

Yes, he was a specialist in oil and water, two of the most precious and strategic resources, especially in the Middle East region. Were US oil companies involved in the murder of this renowned geologist, secretary-general of the Arab Geologists' Association? Was Israel involved? If the responsible bodies don't even bother to look into this case, speculations about this death can easily flourish. The Istanbul Chamber of Geological Engineers raises reasonable doubts about the circumstances of his assassination.


Excerpt from their statement: “When he was killed, he was preparing a paper entitled "Porosities Of Carbonate Reservoirs Of The Mesopotamian Basin: An Insight Into Their Origin" to be delivered in the AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) International Conference and Exhibition in Paris on 14 September 2005.”

”He was kidnapped on his way to work on 24 August 2005 and his body riddled with two bullets was found 2 weeks later in a Baghdad hospital. The notes of his latest study were stolen.”

“GEOCOME-VI will meet in UAE at the end of March 2006. There is no mention of Wissam now, in any of the announcements or on the web site.” 
”However, among the organizers and supporters of the congress, are imperialist institutions such as the BP, Schlumberger, American Geological Institution, etc. who are behind the occupiers of Iraq.”

We have followed this case with astonishment. And as I mentioned before, this murder has not been investigated, of course not. Another war crime of the US occupying forces, who show total inadequacy in protecting Iraqi civilians. Or is there intent and method in the way they are occupying this country? If it would have happened to a US scientist of a similar reputation, all means would be used to bring clarity into this murder case. But human life - under US occupation - is the cheapest good in Iraq today. And Iraqi academics seem to pay a very high price if they want to remain in Iraq: they are targeted from all sides. The BRussells Tribunal has compiled a list of 218 killed Iraqi academics (http://www.brusselstribunal.org/academicsList.htm). An international Seminar on this issue will be held in Madrid 22 April 2006.

INTELLECTUALS AND SCIENTISTS ARE CALLED ON DUTY

The BRussells Tribunal War Crimes Tribunal has launched a campaign against the dirty extermination targeting the Iraqi intellectuals and scientists under occupation. As geological engineers we support this campaign with all our hearts. The Chamber of Geological Engineers informed the public and the press of its position on the issue in a press meeting held at 11:00 am, in Istanbul on 27 February 2006. The Press Statement can be read hereafter.

With our best regards,

Press Statement by the Istanbul Chamber Of Geological Engineers

PRESS STATEMENT

We Call on Intellectuals and Scientists to do their Duty!

The BRussells Tribunal has launched a campaign against the dirty massacre being waged on Iraqi intellectuals and scientists.

We, as Geological Engineers, support this campaign with all our heart.

The covert and dirty massacre in question continues all around Iraq.
Heads of Universities, professors, academicians, engineers, jurists, artists, in short, all those who have the potential to revive Iraq tomorrow and help it stand on its own feet, are being kidnapped one by one from their homes and places of work and being murdered. It has been possible to identify the names of 250 intellectuals killed in this way. Much greater numbers were compelled to leave Iraq.

The victims are of very different world views, a variety of sects and ethnicities. It looks like no differentiation is made on the basis of convictions, sects and ethnic groups.

Not one of the perpetrators of these assassinations have been caught.

According to a study carried out by the United Nations University, 84% of the institutions of higher education in Iraq have been burnt, looted and destroyed.

The Iraqi education system, which was the strongest in the region prior to the occupation, has now been rendered inoperative.

The responsibility for this massacre lies on the US occupation army and its collaborators, which today constitute the sole dominating power under the prevailing circumstances of chaos.

Two of the named victims of this massacre are our colleagues; they are geological engineers.

One of them, Wissam Al Hashimi had come to Turkey together with his colleagues in Iraq in the 70s, he was our guest. At the time, we co-organized the first "Conference on the Geology of the Middle East" (GEOCOME-I). Wissam was then and later on the secretary-general of the Arab Geologists' Association until his assassination. Wissam was a renowned expert on the topic of carbonate type rock that play an important role in the formation and accumulation of oil reservoirs. He made innumerable studies and had countless students. He played an important role in continuing the GEOCOMEs. He held the 2nd., 3rd., 4th. and 5th. GEOCOMEs in different Arab countries. He contributed to the enrichment of scientific knowledge on the natural structure and natural resources of the Middle East as well as to the development and empowerment of Middle Eastern scientists. He was engaged in preparations to hold GOCOME-VI in United Arab Emirates. 

When he was killed, he was preparing a paper entitled "Porosities Of Carbonate Reservoirs Of The Mesopotamian Basin: An Insight Into Their Origin" to be delivered in the AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) International Conference and Exhibition in Paris on 14 September 2005.

He was kidnapped on his way to work on 24 August 2005 and his body riddled with two bullets was found 2 weeks later in a Baghdad hospital. The notes of his latest study were stolen.

His daughter Tara wrote a letter to the AAPG International Conference, requesting that his paper be kept on the agenda of the meeting.

GEOCOME-VI will meet in UAE at the end of March 2006. There is no mention of Wissam now, in any of the announcements or on the web site. 
However, among the organizers and supporters of the congress, are imperialist institutions such as the BP, Schlumberger, American Geological Institution, etc. who are behind the occupiers of Iraq. One of the separate and independent sessions of the congress has been reserved for "the Geology of Iraq." It has been announced that the papers presented to this session on Iraq shall be published as a separate book.

It is very obvious why Wissam and his friends who shared the same fate were killed. The natural resources of Iraq and the whole Middle East are being plundered. The culprits are very aware that the knowledgeable people of those countries can be a big force obstructing this plunder.
They are carrying out very obvious "GENOCIDE". This is an act of genocide targeting intellectuals, scientists and artists.

They are trying to force these countries and peoples to fall on their knees in a way that they will not be able to rise again.

We hereby join the campaign launched by BRussells Tribunal for the identification and punishment of the perpetrators of this genocide and we call on all people of common sense to support this effort.

Istanbul Branch of the Chamber of Geological Engineers
(member of Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers in Turkey)

Appendix: The announcement of the death of Wissam Al Hashimi and his curriculum.

12/09/2005

Dear Colleague

I would like to inform you of the sad news of the murder of Dr Wissam Al Hashimi in Baghdad in August this year. 

Ina Lil Allah Waina Elaehe Rageoun.

This is another Iraqi scientist killed in Baghdad by the "organised criminal and or organised terrorists". Another number to be add to body count of civilian Iraqis since the "Liberation" which now amounts of more than 1000 Doctors and University staff murdered and thousands of similar qualifications who have been forced out of Iraq since the "liberation." The total death toll of civilian Iraqis ranges between 25,000-160,000 depending on your side of the political fence. 

Dr Al Hashimy was until his murder the president of the Union of Arab Geologists. He persevered in serving Iraq throughout his career and helped improve the co-operation between Geologists in Arab countries. He organised several (GEOCOME) conference of the Arab Geologists Union under difficult conditions in several Arab capitols, including Cairo, Baghdad, Amman, Beirut, etc. and he was planning another GEOCOME conference in Abu Dhabi in early 2006. 

Dr Wissam Al Hashimi is an internationally known experts in Carbonates, and he is well known for his important contributions to dolomite and dedolmitisation in and outside Iraq. He was killed while he was preparing his last paper "Porosities Of Carbonate Reservoirs Of The Mesopotamian Basin: An Insight Into Their Origin" to be delivered in the AAPG International Conference and Exhibition in Paris in the Wednesday 14/9/05 morning session. 

He will be remembered by many Iraqi student of Geology whom he supervised and or helped with their PhD and MSc projects.

Attached is an emotional letter from his daughter Tara to Dr Sadooni.

If you are like me was thinking of attending the planned Iraqi Higher Education Conference in Baghdad later this year or earlier next year, I would rethink again.

Regards,

M W IBRAHIM 

Dear Mr. Sadooni,

I am Tara Al-Hashimi the daughter of the late Dr. Wissam Al-Hashimi. I'd like to inform you that my father (Dr. AL- Hashimi) has died. He was kidnapped early in the morning on the 24th Aug 2005 while going to work, his recent papers were stolen. A ransom was given but unfortunately he was shot twice in the head and died. May his soul rest in peace. As his ID was taken from him it took us about 2 weeks to find his body in one of Baghdad's hospitals.
Lately he was very busy preparing a paper that he was going to talk about it in a meeting in Paris, Unfortunately he will not be able to attend the meeting. On behalf of myself and the family we would like that at least the abstract of his paper remains in the meeting's agenda and to be lectured by someone else.
NB: please contact me as soon as possible

Regards 
Tara Al-Hashimi

Further reading: In Memoriam: Wissam S. Al-Hashimi, Former IUGS Vice-President murdered in Iraq

Wissam S. al-Hashimi and Dr Wissam Al-Hashimi

Obituary: Dr Wissam Al-Hashimi, Ph.D. - 1942-2005

Translation of the statement of the Istanbul Chamber of Geological Engineers, and bringing it to our attention: our dear friend Ayse Berktay, World Tribunal on Iraq organizer. And congratulations to the Istanbul Geological engineers, who had the courage to stand up against this atrocity. They didn't attend the meeting of GEOCOME-VI in protest and solidarity with their assassinated colleague.

http://www.brusselstribunal.org/academicsArticles.htm#Wissam