Iraqis react with anger to murder of Hassan
Irish-born Hassan, 59, moved to Iraq more than 30 years ago after marrying an Iraqi engineer.
She learned Arabic and became a pillar of support in local communities, often helping the needy in the face of opposition during Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Those who knew her, worked with her or were helped by her, described Ms Hassan as a formidable woman who went about her work with determination.
She helped the disabled, the orphaned and those without water or sanitation calmly and efficiently.
One of the hospitals she regularly supported was a spinal cord clinic in Baghdad run by Qayder al-Chalabi who said her loss was a huge blow to all Iraqis.
The killers “made a very big mistake. This was the wrong person”, he said.
“I cannot imagine that these things could happen to her because she was a very humanitarian person. She felt our suffering, she understood the suffering of the Iraqi people.
“We need to admire and remember her. We must have a ceremony every year to remember her,” he said, adding he believed a statue should be erected in her honour.
Ms Hassan was kidnapped on October 19 as she was being driven to work in Baghdad where she was the director of aid organisation Care International.
Militant Islamists have waged a campaign of kidnappings and killings to try to force US-led troops and foreigners to leave Iraq.
More than 120 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq since April and more than three dozen have been killed.
If confirmed, Ms Hassan would be the first foreign woman killed.
Several foreigners are still believed to be held, including at least one other woman, Polish-Iraqi Teresa Borcz Khalifa. Others include two American men and two French journalists.
“These people are savage beasts,” said a man working close to the now shuttered CARE offices in Baghdad. He would not give his name for fear of reprisals.
“The whole idea of kidnapping is completely wrong. If people want to resist the occupation they can fight American troops, not kill Iraqis or innocent foreigners,” he said.
A campaign to gather information on Ms Hassan’s whereabouts was recently launched in Baghdad, with a picture of Ms Hassan holding a sick Iraqi child posted on billboards around the city.
The billboards read: “Margaret Hassan is truly a daughter of Iraq... She is against the occupation.”
“She came to help us and give us prosperity,” said Hashim Hassan, a 41-year-old security guard.
“These terrorists are outsiders ruining Iraq’s image. Iraqis would not destroy their own country.”
Unemployed Yusuf Ali, 35, said: “The enemies of Iraq are attacking power stations, oil pipelines and kidnapping foreigners and aid workers at a time when we need them most. Aid workers would be flowing into Falluja right now if they didn’t fear decapitation,” he said.
