Our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Iraqi
journalist Alaa Hassan, a reporter for the international news agency Inter
Press Service (IPS), who was shot and killed in Baghdad on June 28 2006.
Alaa Hassan's death brings the total of reporters and media staff killed in
Iraq since the beginning of the war to 131, according the International
Federation of Journalists.

The Communication Initiative

Hi,

I just wanted to express my sorrow at the news of the death of IPS
contributor Alaa Hassan.

His death highlights once more the dangers for journalists working in Iraq
and other places around the world, but also reinforces the importance of the
work they do. His contribution in the quest for truth and understanding,
along with those of other journalists, should not be forgotten or ignored.

Stephen de Tarczynski.

Please know how sorry we are that this happened. There is so much arguing
about the heroes of the war--our reporters who risk everything to get the
news to us are heroes! I know it sounds trite, but our freedoms that we
attribute to our mililtary are in truth freedoms we have because of our good
press and it has always been that way. Were it not for our independent press
we would still be holding Iraq responsible for 9-11!

I cannot thank Alaa Hassan. I wish I could.

Sincerely,
Barbra

I extend to you, to all IPS staff (and to myself) the true condolences over
the death of the late colleague Alaa Hassan (God bless his soul) who was
killed as he was there in his homeland to perform human duty, to serve those
who want their voice to be heard, their suffering to be felt.

For me, issues of Iraq are among the Arab issues that I am interested to
follow up. Alaa passing away is a shortage in my true and dependable
sources.

Now I feel how it is horrible to find out that an Arab country has become in
a big mess so that you may lose fact hunter any time.

God bless all their in occupied Iraq.

My sympathy, Nabil Sultan
IPS correspondent in Yemen

Dear Sanjay,

Please convey my sympathies to the family members of Alaa Hassan, our IPS
colleague who was killed in Iraq. May they know that his death pains those
of us who write for the IPS World Service, since his was far from an
ordinary voice and view that has been stilled. What he accomplished was
brave, courageous and noble in a war that has worsened beyond the realm of
madness.

Regards,

Marwaan Macan-Markar
IPS Asia correspondent
Bangkok.

From Oneworld.net United States

Comment: Thank you so much for posting the story of Alaa Hassan. Your
knowing him so well brings to light the horrific detail of day to day life
in Bagdad that is not told in our media. It touches the heart deeply and
reveals our common humanity to know of his life and its senseless end. I
wish all Americans could read it. If they did, maybe enough pressure would
be brought on our government to bring the conflict to an end. Please send
heartfelt sorrow for their loss to his family, from one mother in the US.

Marti Cockrell

I just read the sad news of the killing in Iraq of a cub reporter, Alaa
Hassan. From the little of him I read, he was doing a yeoman's job for IPS
before he was fatally and finally consumed by the avoidable occupational and
sectarian wars going on in Iraq. How pitiable. How sorrowful! Please accept
my condolences and convey same to colleagues in IPS and the deceased's
family. May the Almighty continue to protect us all. And equally
importantly, may the crisis in Iraq and in such other places come to an end
promptly.

My sympathy,

Jare Ajayi

La muerte por asesinato de cualquier periodista es una tragedia. Pero mas
aun para mi, cuando es companero de trabajo de gente que quiero tanto como a
Roberto y Mario. Verdaderamente amigos, lo siento. Es parte de la locura. Un
abrazo. German

Lcdo. German Gonzalez
Alianza para la Nueva Humanidad

Hoy me enteré del asesinato en Bagdad de Alaa Hassan, colaborador de IPS.
Quiero enviarles a todos ustedes un abrazo solidario. Cuando matan a un
periodista nos matan un poco a todos sus colegas.

Esteban Valenti
Editor, Bitacora

To the family, collegues, and friends of Alaa Hassan, IPS-journalist who got killed tragically in Iraq.
With this email Oxfam Novib wishes to express its condolences to IPS and express the deep respect we feel for the work he did to make the unheard voices heard and the untold stories told.
Our thoughts are with his family and especially his wife and we wish you all the strength you will be needing in this difficult times.

With deepest sympathy,
On behalf of Oxfam Novib,
Anne Kooistra
Global Strategies & Alliances

We at Antiwar.com are saddened and shocked to hear of the death of Mr. Hassan. He was an excellent and courageous journalist. He will be missed by many.

We wish to send our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and colleagues. Please let us know where people can send donations or messages of condolence.

Thank you,
Eric Garris
Managing Editor, Antiwar.com

Please give my deepest sympathies to his wife and children.

It's small consolation, I know, but let them know that millions of Americans DO NOT support the senseless invasion and occupation of Iraq which has led to the civil war destroying so many families.

As US citizens, we seem to be unable to change the bloody path our own country has taken.

Hussein had his own people tortured and murdered. Bush has his torture and murder done in other countries.

Peace,
Marta

Please accept my condolences, and extend them to Alaa Hassan's family.

Thank you for telling this tragic tale, painful though it must have been for you to write it. There are not enough tears to shed over the death of this brave young man, and all the other reporters who have perished in Iraq.

Will you be establishing any prize, fellowship, or scholarship in his name? If so, I would very much like to contribute to it.

Many thanks,
Judith Ince
Vancouver, Canada

I have just read about Alaa Hassan - I wish to send my condolences. I have for some time used IPS as a trusted news service - initially in Brazil and Latin America and more recently regarding Iraq.
This is a tragedy not just for Hassan's family, and for IPS but for audiences worldwide. We rely on people like him to deliver fair and accurate news.
Regards
Clare Davidson, reader

Could you please tell me where I can send a card and donation to his wife? Thank you.
Echo June

Another murder caused by George Bush.

Otto Schiff
Carmel, California

Dear editors:

I still remember the pain and tears we shed when we got the news in IPS Rome that Richard de Zoysa was killed. I can imagine the same is happening now with Alaa Hassan's death. My prayers and thoughts are with Hassan's family and with you.

God bless.
Jackie Netto

Thank you for your moving story about Alaa Hassan.
In an age of writerly devices used to jump start readers interest, the stark facts of the terrible situation in Iraq as told through Hassan's senseless death is more than enough to compel anyone to repulsion and rejection of violence. I found myself feeling great sympathy for the valient colleague(s) of this person who wrote this story, and I would like to do some small thing to help. Is there a fund for the family or Alaa's future child to which we can contribute?

Dawn Makinson
freelance journalist
Buenos Aires
Argentina

I was deeply moved and saddened by your tragic story. Indeed, I have been enraged by our unAmerican invasion of Iraq on spurious accounts of weapons of mass destruction and a so-called War on Terror. For Whom does the Bell Toll? I am now in my mid 80s and absolutely appalled at the behaviour of my country. I hope that you know there are literally millions of American people who share my feelings .

Sincerely,
Jane Hopkins

Dear Editor:

We send our condolences to his family and to IPS for yet another needless killing.

The work he was doing is so vital, because the world needs to know the horrible realities of Iraq. We feel unjustified in asking, but we hope others will carry on so that the truth can continue to be told; some of us are paying attention and are deeply affected.

We are so ashamed of the obscenities being committed by our so-called leaders — too ugly to watch, but WE WILL NOT CLOSE OUR EYES.
Sincerely,
E Rivers

Dear Aaron,

Please give my condolences to Alaa Hassan ' s wife and family. I was touched and horrified by the story of his death and how his family had to walk through fire to get to his body. It seems too much to bear. I think about his child, the loss to his young wife, and to the grieving parents and extended family. I'm so sorry. y. I'm sorry for all of us who live through this is daily nightmare, but most of all, my heart aches for the Iraqi people, the victims in this deadly design, and most particularly, to the Hassan family. Nothing can make up for it, nothing can wash it away. Perhaps our tears mingled with theirs â€â€œ do you think that will move God or the perpetrators? We must all be strong. Pray to the heavens for strength to endure. Be strong, dear friends. My thoughts are with you everyday.

Thank you for your important work, Aaron.

Sincerely yours,
Dorothy Lavalle

I am appalled at the senseless killings that continue to dominate in Iraq. The violence and killings are senseless. When will it stop? I pray for his family, wife and unborn child. I only wish our country could offer you a safe haven to live, my regards to Alaa's family at this sad time.
Mrs Rae Cottam
Waikiki,
Western Australia

I have been reading the stories from Iraq and very much am shocked to hear the news. The level of conflict and unrest in Iraq, having claimed the lives of 131 members from the media community goes to show the level of vulnerability of the community. As a fellow journalist, I wish to convey my thanks and deep condolences to the family.

Jayalakshmi Chittoor
India

Ferial Haffajee and the staff of the Mail&Guardian in South Africa.

Dear Sanjay and Miren

It was with horror that I learnt of Alaa's death. I'm so sorry. My
condolences to his poor wife.
Kindest regards
Sonny

Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan
Project Director Avian Influenza Program
Internews Indonesia
[Former IPS Regional Editor for Asia-Pacific]

Please relay my deepest condolences to the family of Mr Hassan. It is so sad
to see that a young man's future and the future of his family were destroyed
in such manner in a country that expected better times and improvement, but
entered an unprecedented quagmire. The news saddened me profoundly.
Vesna Peric Zimonjic
IPS Belgrade

My condolences go to his family and may they find the strength to carry on
with life. These may seem vacuous words since hardly any words can comfort
those who lost their loved ones, but reflect my sadness at hearing the news.

It is doubly regrettable because some of us condemned the invasion of Iraq
for the "reasons" that were stated at the time, and it would seem that genie
is out and now is everyone for themselves, with the innocent being caught in
the cross-fire. As humans we worry over such questions as would that have
not happened if the invasion had not taken place? I've no answer for that!
To IPS, I can only offer my solidarity and hope that you soon find someone
who can offer us a different perspective on Iraq as Alaa Hassan did - of
course, he'll be irreplaceable.
I end with the words of the Qur'an: "Inna lillah wa inna ilaihe rajiun (To
Allah we belong and to Him we shall return)". May his soul rest in peace.
Bayano Valy

This is such a sad episode and my thoughts go to the family. I pray IPS will
also assist Alaa's direct family financially.

Regards,
Frank

I share the entire IPS family's feelings of sadness and loss over the tragic
death Alaa Hassan, and will renew my own commitment to do whatever I can to
end this senseless war.

Gareth Porter
IPS North America correspondent

My condolences to IPS, its readership and, above all, Alaa's family. A very
important voice has been lost, and its loss impoverishes us all.

If IPS is doing anything to assist the family or to in some way mark this
tragic even, please let me know.

Rebecca
Arabs Anonymous No Hay Moros

Creo que hay que decirlo así: la muerte de nuestro colega Alaa Hassan en
Bagdad es el resultado del fracaso total de la invasión a Iraq. Hassan pagó
con su vida la audacia de trabajar fuera de la "zona verde" de Bagdad, donde
viven y trabajan, atrincherados, la gran mayoría de los periodistas
extranjeros, los diplomáticos, los altos funcionarios y, por supuesto, las
tropas invasoras, más o menos protegidos todos por mercenarios de todo el
mundo. Ellos casi nunca salen de allí, y cuando salen, los secuestran y los
matan. Fuera de ese perímetro blindado, un promedio de cien civiles iraquíes
corre diariamente el mismo destino de Alaa, víctimas de la violencia que
toda ocupación armada genera desde tiempos inmemoriales. Honrar la memoria
de Alaa obliga a continuar contando la peligrosa y subversiva verdad de la
calle.

Alejandro Kirk, Chile
Managing Editor
IPS/TerraViva Newspapers

Terrible noticia. Va nuestra solidaridad a sus familiares y colegas de IPS.

Diego Cevallos Rojas,
IPS México

Lamentamos profundamente la muerte de Alaa Hassan y enviamos, por vuestro
intermedio, nuestras condolencias y un abrazo a su familia.

Alicia Fraerman y Tito Drago
IPS España

Lamento muchísimo el asesinato de periodistas. Expreso toda mi solidaridad.
Helda Martinez
IPS Colombia

Camaradas: Cuando matan a un periodista, a los que quedamos vivos se nos
muere un poco la vida. Solidaridad con el compañero Hassan.

Abrazos, Ángel Páez
IPS Perú

Envío todas mis condolencias y solidaridad a la familia de Alaa Hassan.

Gustavo González
IPS Chile

Amigos de IPS
Nos juntamos a la pena de la familia de Alaa y la tristeza de sus colegas,
saludando su trabajo necesario, difícil y valioso. Daremos la noticia en
nuestro sitio.

Daniel Wermus, Carole Vann, Fabrice Boulé
InfoSud
Genève, Suisse

1. C'est une nouvelle bien triste. Même si je n'ai pas connu Alaa
personnellement, je sais en lisant tous ces reportages venus d'Irak,
combien il est difficile pour les journalistes de travailler dans de telles
conditions, surtout quand on est constamment sur le terrain auprès de la
population.

Je te serai reconnaissant de faire parvenir à la famille d'Alaa, surtout à
son épouse et ses enfants, mes sincères condoléances et sympathies les plus
vives. Je suis de tout cœur avec eux et je partage leur chagrin et
tristesse.

Je leur souhaite un très bon courage pour affronter la vie qui continue
pour eux.

Nasseem (Ile Maurice)

C'est vraiment une terrible nouvelle. Que le bon Dieu l'accueille au
paradis et préserve sa famille. Je suis vraiment en colère quand j'apprends
de si mauvaises nouvelles. Est-ce qu'on ne peut pas s'organiser au niveau
d'IPS, pour lui donner ne serait-ce que de façon symbolique une partie de
nos piges (par exemple 20 dollars pour chaque correspondant)? Enfin, c'est
une idée. Avec tout mon soutien!

Saliou Sam (Guinée-Conakry)

Mes vives condoléances aux confrères de IPS!

Mustapha El Ouizi (Maroc)