United States: Woman run over by father in 'honour killing'

A young Iraqi woman was run over by her father in a car in an alleged honour killing in the United States after her behaviour became "too Western", police said. Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, whose family had moved to Phoenix, Arizona, was hit by her father's Jeep last month as she walked across a car park. She lay in a coma for two weeks in hospital before dying.

Her father, Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, fled after the attack and initially drove to Mexico. He then boarded a flight to the UK where he was denied entry and put on a plane back to Arizona.

At a court hearing in Phoenix, Stephanie Low, prosecuting, said Almaleki had admitted to the crime.

"By his own admission, this was an intentional act and the reason was that his daughter had brought shame on him and his family," Mrs Low said.

"This was an attempt at an honour killing."

Family members told police that Almaleki attacked his daughter because he believed she was not living according to his traditional Iraqi values.

They said he became infuriated when his daughter married a man in Iraq but then decided to live with her boyfriend and his mother in Arizona.

The boyfriend's mother was also struck by the Jeep. She is in a stable condition in hospital.

By Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 8:13PM GMT 03 Nov 2009