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Newly Crowned Miss Iraq Fears for Her Life
Associated Press Writer
April 12, 2006, 11:58 AM EDT
AMMAN, Jordan -- Iraq's newly crowned beauty queen has gone into hiding,
fearing she will be targeted by Islamic militants who reportedly
threatened to kill other women who participated in a Baghdad pageant
last week.
Silva Shahakian, an Iraqi Christian, received the title of Miss Iraq
when the initial winner stepped down after receiving death threats and
two other runners-up also bowed out, a person familiar with the event
said Wednesday.
Since receiving the crown, Shahakian has been lying low, fearing she
will be targeted, he said. The pageant was held April 9 in a Baghdad
social club and the initial winner, Tamar Goregian, gave back the crown
four days later, he said.
The man spoke on condition of anonymity, refusing to be identified
further, saying he also feared retribution from militants.
Shahakian's whereabouts were unknown, although it was believed that she
was still in Iraq. Several attempts to reach Goregian, who is believed
to have left Iraq, failed.
Shahakian was quoted by ABC's "Good Morning America" as saying she will
keep her title, but that she planned to change her residence.
"This chance does not come to every girl. So, I'm lucky to have that.
I'm not going to lose it," she said on the program Tuesday.
"I'll take care. I will change my living place. I would like to take
that chance. I will do my best," she added.
ABC reported that Goregian received threats by a group of religious
extremists who referred to her as "the queen of infidels" for
participating in the pageant.
The pageant was the first to be held in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion
in 2003, according to ABC. The network said organizers are hoping to
send the winner to the Miss Universe pageant, being held in Los Angeles
on July 23.
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
In a related story:
The Miss America's Outstanding
Teen contestants, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia
and the Virgin Islands, flew to Orlando for the first-ever Miss
America's Outstanding Teen pageant. All 52 Miss America's Outstanding
Teen contestants visited Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal
Orlando Resort for some fun and excitement. Their first stop was the
Incredible Hulk Coaster, known for its mind-bending speed and G-force
acceleration. It is set against a backdrop of a futuristic comic
book-inspired metropolis and turns riders upside-down 110 feet above the
ground, only to race them down at 60 m.p.h.
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