No Australian Apology Yet For Iraq Shooting

John Howard (file photo) (epa) June 23, 2006 -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard today said that he wants full details of the deadly shooting by his country's troops of an Iraqi minister's bodyguard before he formally apologizes.

Howard said that he regrets the incident, but that until he knows all the details, he will consider that Australian troops "did the right thing."

The Australian Defense Force confirmed on June 22 that its troops mistakenly opened fire on the bodyguards of Iraq's trade minister in Baghdad, killing one of them and wounding three.

The shooting happened near Iraq's Trade Ministry building. Australian media reported today that the Australian troops started shooting because they thought they were about to be attacked.

(AP)