US Helicopter Crashes Near Baghdad; Crew's Fate Unknown
There is no word on the fate of the crew aboard a military helicopter that crashes in Iraq
A U.S. military helicopter has crashed near Baghdad. There is no word on the fate of its two-man crew. Witnesses said a rocket hit the helicopter. Insurgents later released a video on the internet purporting to show the missile attack. Neither the video nor a written statement has been authenticated. Meanwhile, prosecutors at the Iraqi tribunal trying Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants say the trial will resume January 24 without the chief judge. Judge Rizkar Mohammed Amin quit last week, after complaining of government interference in the trial. Separately, Iraqi elections officials have annulled the results of 227 ballot boxes out of a total of more than 31,000, after finding evidence of fraud in last month's elections. Authorities say the small number of rejected votes will not change the outcome of the December 15 polls. Final results are expected later this month.