If Dateline's loyal viewers out there can cast your minds back to March of this year, you'll remember an incredibly moving report we called simply Sarah's Story. It was the tale of a young Iraqi girl who'd been badly injured when insurgents attacked her family, killing her mother. Sarah's Story was shot by an Iraqi, Fouad Hady, who now lives in Melbourne. Well, once again Fouad has dared to film where most Western reporters simply fear to tread, outside the relative safety of the Green Zone. What follows is Fouad's personal journey through deadly, dangerous Baghdad.
REPORTER: Fouad Hady
Earlier this year, I went back to Baghdad, my hometown. I never saw any foreigners outside of the Green Zone. And I never felt completely safe holding my camera.
REPORTER (Translation): They might think I'm a sniper.
DRIVER, (Translation): No, keep filming. It's the Sheraton. No one can see you.
For two weeks I travelled around Baghdad, filming whatever I saw. This was once an air force base and afterwards people with nowhere else to live moved in. It was bombed during the invasion, now around 1,000 families are living here. In an old office I find Abu Abbas. He was shot by insurgents and brought his family here. Three of his children are handicapped.
ABU ABBAS, (Translation): We're eight in the family. Our food, our drink, fuel and gas are expensive, clothes are expensive. I have six children, half are disabled. Their only provider is God and me, and I was injured. It cost 2.5 million for eight days in hospital. I lost all my blood in the incident, my legs were full of shrapnel. We had our backs turned and were just about to start eating when the shooting started. I thought it was a wedding. I looked and there was shooting everywhere. I fell to the ground. My legs were split open. 14 people were shot in the attack.
14 people were shot in the attack. Abu Abbas has no idea who shot him or why.
MOTHER, (Translation): These three children are disabled and their father is injured. I have no one to help me but God. Their father was the provider now he's injured and bedridden. We have no financial means and we're worried they might evict us.
In the suburb of Karada, Shiite Muslims are getting ready for Ashura. This festival is held to honour the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Hussein Ibn Ali. It is one of the most important days of the year for Shiites. They were never allowed to gather like this under Saddam Hussein.
REPORTER, (Translation): What will you perform today?
WOMAN, (Translation): It's a display, the least we can offer to the Prophet's family. We want the children to experience it. We were deprived of these things and didn't know the true story of the Prophet's family so we wanted to plant the story in the hearts of children so they can experience the life of the Prophet's family. God willing, we'll do a good job.
In the kitchen of the mosque, a man stirs lentils. Food for the followers of Mohammed's grandson, Hussein Bin Ali.
MAN, (Translation): I cook for the sake of God, for the sake of Hussein. I'm a university graduate, in biochemistry. My father cooked for Hussein and I've inherited it from him. This work is instinctive. It runs in my blood. God willing, I'll be cooking all my life for the sake of God and Hussein. I won't give it up. Anything I do will go but this work for the sake of Hussein will remain forever. Many are science graduates in biochemistry but not all cook for the sake of Hussein.
REPORTER, (Translation): Are you worried about car bombs?
MAN, (Translation): No, no. God says, "Death will catch up with you even if you are in impregnable fortresses." Death can come anywhere.
These policemen are having lunch in the mosque kitchen.
REPORTER, (Translation): Have you had any incidents?
POLICEMAN, (Translation): Today, a booby-trapped dog. That's in the morning. Next to Sidi Idriss, just ahead. It was at 8.30am., but it didn't blow up. The explosives expert had it under control.
REPORTER, (Translation): Any damage?
POLICEMAN, (Translation): There was no damage. They rigged a dead animal with an explosive device.
Everyone is a little nervous and so am I. Crowds like this are often attacked by insurgents. The road has been cut off, and there are plenty of police but they say they're not expecting trouble.
REPORTER, (Translation): Do you consider the area to be safe?
POLICEMAN, (Translation): It's a Shia area and it's all pro-government. God willing, nothing will happen.
This suburb was attacked for the first time in July. Scores of people were killed in a huge explosion. Another part of the city I find a blood-stained Koran in a mosque. Yesterday, during Friday prayers, a car bomb went off on the street outside.
MAN IN MOSQUE, (Translation): They started to say Allah Akbar when the bomb went off. They haven't even finished saying it when the bomb exploded. They finished reading the Koran when it went off.
25 people died in the blast. The road outside this mosque was blocked off to traffic but the bomber crashed past another car to get through.
SECURITY GUARD, (Translation): The car came from this direction. A car was here and the pick-up came on the wrong side. He hit a car there and continued toward us so our armed security came out at him, with some taking cover behind the concrete barriers. He hit the first barrier but couldn't drive over it so he leaned on the cushion and blew himself up. Here's the crater he made.
MAN, (Translation): We collected pieces of flesh from the people. We were collecting the flesh of Iraqis. Why? What have they done? They've come to pray! A little girl was thrown in the air and fell down. She was buying bread. A little girl passing by, is this Iraqi? Yesterday, we were collecting hands in cardboard boxes. What have they done? Are you a criminal if you pray?
REPORTER, (Translation): Isn't it a sectarian war?
MAN, (Translation): Of course, but God willing it won't be any more.
REPORTER, (Translation): Are you Sunnis and Shias in this area?
MEN, (Translation): My friends are Sunnis. What does that mean? My in-laws are Sunnis. Sunnis and Shias were killed here. Sunnis were killed here. It's all America's doing.
There is also a mix of Sunni and Shia in the suburb of Karada. Here I find Sunni Muslims praying in a small mosque.
REPORTER, (Translation): What do you think of this destruction of mosques and domes?
OLD MAN, (Translation): In my whole life, at this age, we've never been through such a situation. Mosques are blown up, this is the work of Satan. No human can do this damage to the country. Everyone wants what Iraq has. What did we get from Iraq's oil except hardship and grief? That's what we got. All we get is killings and car bombs. God knows who's doing it. We trust in God.
REPORTER, (Translation): The Shias blame you.
OLD MAN, (Translation): I haven't heard such talk that the Shias blame us and we blame them. I haven't heard that from anyone.
ABU MUSTAFA, (Translation): This is the eternal Tigris river.
Abu Mustafa carries passengers across the Tigris in this small boat. Many cross the river this way to avoid roadblocks. But Abu Mustafa cannot travel the river freely. Past this bridge is the American Green Zone, Abu Mustafa will be shot if he goes any further.
REPORTER, (Translation): Men and women cross with you?
ABU MUSTAFA, (Translation): Of course. Many people, even families, come to cross the river. Some of them come for fun. They come to relax. But after the fall of Baghdad, and because of the security situation the families can't go out as they used to. All because of worsening security, that's why the families only go out to go about their business and come back.
Abu Mustafa has a university degree, but he's never used it. When he graduated 12 years ago United Nations sanctions had already destroyed Iraq's economy. Now he grieves for the city he loves.
ABU MUSTAFA, (Translation): Baghdad is the mother of learning. Baghdad is civilisation and culture. But I'm sorry that Baghdad has become what it is now. Baghdad is living in terror. And the people are suffering from the terror that's happening in Baghdad. The bombings, the killings. The words fail to describe it. I can't find the words to express what Baghdad is going through.