American activist helping Iraqis is killed by car bomb

SAN FRANCISCO — A woman who led an effort to help those ravaged by violence in Iraq, lobbying congressmen for millions of dollars in aid that she helped deliver to families, fell victim to the war herself when a car bomb killed her and two other people, officials said Sunday.

Marla Ruzicka, founder of Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, died Saturday in the blast, which also killed an Iraqi and another foreigner, officials said. She had been in Iraq conducting door-to-door surveys trying to determine the number of civilian casualties in the country.

Ruzicka, 28, of Lakeport, founded CIVIC in 2003 and was instrumental in securing millions of dollars in aid money from the federal government for distribution in Iraq.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said it was Ruzicka's idea to put a special fund in last year's multibillion-dollar foreign aid bill to help Iraqis whose businesses had been bombed by mistake or as collateral damage.

"She was constantly calling us to say (lawmakers were) moving too slowly," he said by telephone on Sunday. "Just from the force of her personality, we decided to take a chance on it."

Ruzicka's parents said they were notified of her death just hours after the explosion. U.S. Embassy officials publicly released Ruzicka's name Sunday.

"We've been very worried about her but we know better than to tell our children not to do anything. We were supportive and just reminded her to be careful," said her mother, Nancy Ruzicka.

She said her daughter had left her a telephone message the night before her death that said, "Mom and dad, I love you. I'm OK."

"She cared about people and gave people her love and help," Nancy Ruzicka said. "I'll remember the love she spread around the world and the good ambassador that she was for her country."

Leahy remembered Ruzicka as a fiery young woman who came into his office about two years seeking federal money to aid civilians in Iraq.

Leahy said $10 million was added to the foreign aid bill last year for that purpose and another $10 million has been set aside for next year. The money was being distributed by government aid workers with Ruzicka's help, he said.

Leahy said he would speak about Ruzicka on the Senate floor Monday, and possibly help plan a memorial service for the woman in Washington.