IRAQ - Aug. 20 - Hostage Stand-Off At Berlin Embassy.

Five members of the Democratic Iraqi Opposition of Germany, a little-known opposition group, enter the Iraqi embassy in Berlin, demanding an end to the rule of Saddam Hussein and taking 10 hostages, including Shamil Mohammad, the top Iraqi diplomat in Berlin. Hundreds of German police officers surround the building and attempt to establish contact with the hostage-takers. In a written statement, the group says it is launching "a peaceful and temporary action" over Saddam's regime, adding: "We declare that the liberation of Iraqi soil begins today. This is the first step in the liberation of our beloved fatherland". Seven hours later, shortly before 8pm local time, the German police entered the embassy building, freeing up the hostages and detaining five of the hostage-takers. Two of the captives had minor injuries and the hostage-takers did not resist. Baghdad condemned the siege as an act of "terrorist aggression" by mercenaries of the Israeli and US intelligence services. On Aug. 21, Shamil Mohammad said the five men who seized the embassy were "gangsters, paid mercenaries, who were getting their orders from outside, on their cell phones". He said the attack "was aimed not only against Iraq but also against Germany". He praised the actions of the German police in ending the crisis, adding: "This was a political message for Germany, because Germany has very positive attitudes towards a war with Iraq". Analysts said the Democratic Iraqi Opposition of Germany had been formed only in the last few weeks and was made up of Sunni Muslims. There were no Kurds in the group. The embassy siege was probably aimed at drawing attention to the group. (The siege came two weeks after German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced his government's opposition to moves by the US to mount a military attack on Iraq. The announcement, seen as part of a strategy for elections next month, was criticised by the opposition in Germany and is believed to have raised concerns in Washington. Iraq and Germany broke off full diplomatic relations after the 1991 Gulf war. The Iraqi embassy moved from Bonn to Berlin in June).