Iraqi Visitors Robbed, Police Say
Posted: 8/4/2004 9:22:13 PM
Two members of a group of Iraqi visitors who were barred from city hall were robbed at gunpoint on a Memphis street, police said Wednesday. No one was hurt. The seven visiting Iraqis are civic and community leaders on a three-week American tour sponsored by the State Department. On the tour, they are to learn about how American government works on the local level. The trip also includes stops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington. Two members of the group, identified by police as Rwad Fanary and Liza Hido, were walking along a downtown street Tuesday when they were accosted by a man with a handgun. Police said the robber got away with an undisclosed amount of money, travelers checks and a camera. No arrests were made. The Iraqis were scheduled to visit city hall Monday but city council chairman Joe Brown objected, saying they were security risks. Elisabeth Silverman, head of the Memphis Council for International Visitors, said Brown told her he would "evacuate the building and bring in the bomb squads." The group met with another member of the city council at different location to talk about Memphis government. Mayor Willie Herenton, who was not informed that the group would be visiting, issued a statement Wednesday apologizing for their reception at city hall. "In no way should this experience reflect the feelings of our citizenry or their elected officials," the mayor said. The council as a whole also issued a statement of apology.
