Militants claim anti-tank missile downed troop-carrier
An Iraqi militant group has claimed responsibility today for bringing down an RAF Hercules transport plane, killing at least nine troops.
The Ansar al-Islam group said in a statement posted on an Islamic Web site that its fighters tracked the aircraft, “which was flying at a low altitude, and fired an anti-tank missile at it.”
The plane was flying from Baghdad to the town of Balad, a US military official said.
“Thanks be to God, the plane was downed and a huge fire and black clouds of smoke were seen rising from the location of the crash,” said the statement.
The wreckage of the Hercules is scattered over a large area, suggesting a mid-air explosion, a senior US military officer in Iraq said.
British and US military officials have not said what they think caused the crash, which occurred about a half hour after polls closed in Iraq’s elections.
Established after the 9/11, attacks, Ansar al-Islam is one of Iraq’s older extremist groups and it has been linked to al-Qaida.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed there were deaths in the crash, but did say how many as he paid tribute to the casualties in a televised speech praising Iraq’s election.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives today. They can be so proud of what their loved ones accomplished. This country and the wider world will never forget them,” he said.
One of the 10 men who died in the Hercules become the first Australian serviceman killed on military duty in Iraq.
Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel, 35, a father of three from Victoria, had joint British and Australian citizenship.
His father, John, 78, from Melbourne, said British High Commission officials rang to tell him and his wife Margaret of their son’s death.
“Nobody really knows what’s happened,” Pardoel said. “I spoke to his group captain at the British High Commission, who happens to know him, and he said it’s a pity, he is a nice, upstanding young man.”
Pardoel formerly served in the Royal Australian Air Force but was serving with the RAF at the time of his death.
The Australian Defence Force announced the death in a statement.
Australia, a close ally of the United States and Britain, sent 2,000 troops to take part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and still has about 900 military personnel stationed in and around the country in non-combat roles.
Although Australian forces have been targeted several times by insurgents, none had been killed.
Pardoel his wife and young son and daughters had been living in England for the past three years.
