Iraqi dissidents take hostages
The week's news at a glance.
Berlin
Five Iraqi dissidents burst into the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin this week and briefly took several people hostage before being arrested. Among the hostages was the acting Iraqi ambassador, Shamil Mohammed. The group, which called itself the Democratic Iraqi Opposition of Germany, released a statement saying, “The liberation of Iraqi soil begins today. We are taking over the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin, and with this the first step in the liberation of our beloved fatherland.” It said the hostage-taking would be “temporary”—and in fact German police stormed the embassy and arrested the men after just five hours. Mainstream Iraqi opposition groups, such as the Iraqi National Congress, said they had never heard of the German group.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published