NBC News has released a transcript of the updated Nightly News broadcast. The update was made in all NN feeds beginning with the second feed at 7pm this evening, according to a network representative. Jim Miklaszewski says there were “confusing reports coming out of Baghdad.” Full transcript after the jump…
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Tonight, the violence in Iraq has claimed another victim, a judge, one of the 49-member tribunal responsible for trying former members of Saddam Hussein’s regime, including the former president himself. NBC’S Jim Miklaszewski is with us from the Pentagon tonight with more on this. Jim, good evening.
JIM MIKLASZEWSKI: Good evening Brian. U.S. officials tell NBC News late tonight that Barbweez Mahmood and his son were apparently killed in an assassination in Baghdad earlier today. Mahmood, as you said, is one of the 49 judges handling the high profile cases in Iraq — including that of Saddam Hussein.
Now earlier there was some confusing reports coming out of Baghdad, and U.S. officials told NBC News — and we reported — that the initial target of the assassination attempt was Raid Juhi, the chief administration judge who was in fact seen in Saddam Hussein’s initial court appearance last July.
Juhi had been the target of several assassination attempts, and was under heavy armed guard. But tonight administration officials tell NBC News that the judge apparently killed earlier today was actually Barbweez Mahmood and his son, and they expect that the Iraqis will make a major announcement shortly. The U.S. officials say that attacks on Mahmood indicate an attack not only on the judge, but on the entire judicial system.
They predict however, that Iraq will continue with the proceedings against Saddam Hussein, which are yet to be scheduled.