IRAQ’S UN Ambassador, a Sunni supporter of the United States, accused US Marines in Iraq last night of shooting dead his cousin in cold blood.

Samir Sumaidaie cited the young man’s death at his home near Haditha on Saturday as an example of how the behaviour of US troops is alienating the population.

“He was murdered in cold blood,” said the ambassador, who has prepared a report on his cousin’s death and wants answers from the Americans.

“I want to make this count not for my family only but to improve the performance of the multinational force in Iraq and get the population on our side,” Mr Sumaidaie said.

Pentagon spokesmen in Washington and Iraq said last night that they had no information about the killing.

According to Mr Sumaidaie, Mohammed Sumaidaie, 21, an engineering student, was killed during a routine house search on Saturday by US Marines in the village of al-Shaikh Hadid in al-Anbar province.

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