noteworthy Iraq Court
noteworthy Iraq Court Agrees to Execute Church Attackers Iraq’s highest court ratified death sentences on February 2 for three men convicted of the 2010 massacre at a Syrian Catholic cathedral in Baghdad, the bloodiest attack on Iraqi Christians after the 2003 invasion. Gunmen linked to al Qaeda seized hostages during Sunday mass at the Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad on October 31, 2010. Around 52 hostages and police were killed and 67 wounded in the attack, which ended when security forces stormed the church. Al Qaeda’s Iraqi affiliate, Islamic State of Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack. “There are three convicted criminals. All of them are Iraqis and they were convicted based on the terrorism law,” said Abdul-Sattar al-Birqdar, spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council. “The sentence is final and it will be sent to the presidency to issue a decree to the Justice Ministry to execute it.” One of the alleged leaders of the church attack, Huthaifa al-Batawi, known as al Qaeda’s “Emir of Baghdad,” was killed in an attempted jailbreak last May, officials said. – Reuters. Reprinted with permission of the Assyrian International News Agency, aina.org. El Cajon Backs Off Card Rooms City officials in El Cajon, California, agreed to ease up on their crackdown on Chaldean card rooms in a 3-2 vote on February 14. The city council had voted unanimously to ban card-playing activities from the downtown area – which includes the Crystal Ballroom, a popular community spot that is owned by the Chaldean American Association. Officials cite gambling as the problem but community leaders insist that card playing is a way of life for Chaldeans and that no wagering is involved. There are about 10 known card room operations in El Cajon and most, if not all, have a large Chaldean clientele. – SanDiego.com Come to the Carnival The Third Annual COACH (Chaldean Outreach And Community Hope) Carnival will be held on Sunday, March 25. The event includes a ,000 raffle, DJ music, games, face painting, food, baked goods and a Moon Bounce. All proceeds benefit Project Hope, which helps Iraqi refugees who have resettled in Metro Detroit. The fun takes place from 2-6 p.m. at the lower level of Shenandoah Country Club. Enter through the Dining Room/Gym entrance. A wristband for unlimited Moon Bounce use is and games and food have a nominal cost. Sponsorships are still available. Learn more at CoachInfo.org or call (248) 522-2441. It’s Scholarship Time The Annual Chaldean Federation of America Scholarship Program is underway, and the deadline for applications is April 27. A number of scholarships are offered to high school and college students. Visit Chaldean- Grads.com for an application. For more information, contact Rula Yono at (248) 996-8384 or rula@chaldeanfederation.org. A luncheon in honor of scholarship recipients will be held on Saturday, June 2. CALL FOR ARTISTS St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is seeking submissions from Michigan artists for the hospital’s new South Patient Tower scheduled to open in 2014. Selected artwork will be used to enhance the healing environment of the newtower. Artwork is being sought in a variety of media and should follow the guiding principles of healing art and evoke messages of peace and healing for the patients, visitors and staff who will use the new facilities. Visit http://aesthetics.net/StJosephMercyCFA to learn more about the Call for Artists. Deadline for submissions is March 26. Cook with CALC The Chaldean American Ladies of Charity (CALC) are offering cooking classes during the month of March. The class is open to ages 18 to 28 and includes Chaldean recipes, cooking techniques and sampling of dishes prepared in class. It takes place from 7-9 p.m. on March 5, 12, 19 and 26 at the Culinary Studio, 29673 Northwestern Highway in Southfield. The fee is for all four sessions. Call (248) 538-8300 for more information. People Attorney Steven Garmo spoke at the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Program Training on January 28 in Los Angeles. Garmo is currently working as a supervising attorney on the Iraqi Relief Assistance Project out of New York with the University of California at Irvine, School of Law and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. IRAP provides critical support to Iraqi refugees who must start over in the West. The Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake Township was named the 2012 Restaurant of the Year by the Detroit Free Press. Owned by Ed Mamou, the spot is known for using local and seasonal ingredients. Grieving relatives pay tribute to victims of the church massacre in this file photo from November 2010. 16 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2012
MARCH 2012 CHALDEAN NEWS 17
