U.S. army did not participate in Salah al-Din council operation- source

SALAH AL-DIN / IraqiNews.com: The U.S. army did not take part in the penetration operation of the Salah al-Din council, during which scores were killed or wounded, a security source said. “The Americans just helped Iraqi forces in imposing a siege around the council and securing the region by their choppers,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Three Iraqi army soldiers and three others were wounded by snipers inside the building and seven chieftains from the city of Shurqat and three local council members were killed in the operation,” he added. Iraqi officials said the death toll in a hostage siege at a local government office in the northern Iraqi town of Tikrit has risen to at least 56 people.   At least three of the dead were said to include lawmakers.   Ninety-one people were reported wounded in the hours-long siege, which was eventually ended by Iraqi security forces.   Security officials said the attackers used car bombs, explosive belts, and hand grenades as they stormed into the council headquarters of Salah al-Din Province and held people hostage.   SH (TP)/SR 633