The body of al-Zubaidi, 56, an economics editor for the Baghdad-based dailies As-Saffir and Al-Dustour, was identified by his family in a Baghdad morgue. Al-Zubaidi’s son, Riyah, told CPJ that police found the editor’s body with gunshot wounds to the head in Baghdad’s southwestern neighborhood of Al-Aamal.
Al-Zubaidi’s identification cards and cell phone were taken by the gunmen. He was last seen leaving As-Saffir‘s offices in the central Karada neighborhood around 1 p.m. on February 24.
Al-Zubaidi had worked for As-Saffir and Al-Dustour for three years. Two journalists for As-Saffir were killed by gunmen in September 2005 in Mosul. Another was kidnapped and held for ransom for nearly three weeks in March 2006.