Iraqi family sues Australia over shooting
Iraqi family sues Australia over shooting
SYDNEY (AFP) — An Iraqi family is suing for compensation after a mother and her young son were each blinded in one eye when Australian soldiers fired on their car in Baghdad, lawyers said Thursday.
Lamyaa al-Saadi and her family, including husband Nezar, their three children and a teenage nephew, were travelling down a Baghdad street in 2005 when Australian soldiers opened fire on their red Volkswagen.
The Australian Defence Force said at the time the vehicle was "suspicious" and the driver did not respond to repeated requests to stop, the national AAP news agency reported.
In a civil action launched on behalf of the family in Queensland's Supreme Court on Tuesday the family denies this and alleges the soldiers acted negligently.
The family of five has been granted a one-year medical visa for Australia so the mother and 11-year-old son Ahmed can receive ongoing medical care for injuries received in the incident.
Lawyer Rod Hodgson told reporters the woman suffered "horrific" injuries as a result of the Australian military actions.
She was struck by at least one bullet, causing severe injuries to the left side of her face including the loss of an eye, severe scarring, the loss of hearing in her left ear and the loss of her sense of smell.
Ahmed, who was just eight at the time, lost the sight in his right eye after being struck by glass fragments.
The remainder of the family, including 52-year-old father Nezar and daughters Shaymaa and Reem, now aged 14 and five, suffered minor injuries.
"They were civilians, there's no suggestion they were involved in any unlawful conduct," Hodgson said.
The final amount of the damages claim was yet to be determined, he told reporters, calling on the government to show compassion to the family and settle out of court.
A Defence Department spokeswoman said it was not appropriate to comment as the matter was before the courts.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who came to power in elections in November, has committed the government to pulling Australia's 550 combat troops out of Iraq, although a 110-strong security detachment will remain in Baghdad.
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