Three Iraqi journalists found killed near Samarra

The bodies of three Iraqi journalists, including a well-known correspondent for Al Arabiya television, were found today near Samarra, police and the Arabic network said.

Al Arabiya’s Atwar Bahjat and two colleagues from another media company were in the city 60 miles north of Baghdad to cover yesterday’s bombing of a revered Shiite shrine. Their employers lost contact with them last night.

Their bodies were found this morning near their vehicle, cameras and satellite dish, police Capt. Laith Muhammad said. They had been shot.

“I can confirm they have been killed,” said Jawad al-Hatab, head of the al-Arabiya office in Baghdad.