Third Briton Dies In Attack

Updated:15:14, Tuesday November 29, 2005

A third Briton has died from his injuries in Iraq after the bus he was travelling in was sprayed with bullets.

The British victims

Yahya Gulamali, 60, a businessman from  west London, was a Muslim pilgrim on a religious visit.

Two Britons were killed on Monday and two injured when gunmen ambushed the bus in Baghdad.

Saifuddin Makai, 39, from Streatham, south London, and Husain Mohammedali, 50, from Harrow, north west London, were killed in the attack.

Three of their friends, from the Husaini Masjid (mosque) in Northolt, west London, were wounded, a member of the religious community has said.

The attack took place when the bus was drawing up to a checkpoint in the Dora neighbourhood.

It had been taking Shi'ite Muslim passengers to religious sites.

The Britons were on a pilgrimage to holy shrines at Kerbala, Najaf and Kufa, when they came under fire.

Bus was ambushed

The injured are reported to be Ali Qaiyoom, 46, a businessman from Harrow, and Miss Zehra Jafferjee, 60, from Wembley, north west London.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he was unable to confirm the reports, but reiterated Foreign Office advice for Britons to avoid Iraq.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said there were several sites of religious significance in the area where the bus was attacked.

He added between 5,000 and 10,000 mainly Shia community members took pilgrimages there from Britain every year.