STEVEN VINCENT, the freelance journalist and blogger murdered in Iraq a few days ago, wasn't killed as a retribution for his article denouncing the infiltration of terrorists in Basra's new security forces, as it was believed. His "crime"? He was going to marry his Muslim interpreter:

AN American journalist who was shot dead in Basra last week was executed by Shiite extremists who knew he was intending to marry his Muslim interpreter, it has emerged.

Steven Vincent was shot a week before the planned wedding to Nouriya Itais and had already delivered a $2,500 dowry to her family.

The disclosure casts new light on the grip of Islamic religious sects in the British-run south- east of Iraq - raising concern that they will take control once troops start to withdraw. Mr Vincent was abducted from his hotel three days after writing a piece in the New York Times accusing British officials of allowing religious parties to infiltrate the Basra police.

In America, his death was taken as retribution for his article. But in London yesterday, British officials pointed out that the police in Basra believed it was retribution for his affair.

(thanks to reader Tom Pechinski)

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