ActionScript 3.0 :: How To Read Variable From Outside Function

ActionScript Code:
var city:String = "Bath";
var xml:XML = new XML();
var urlloader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
urlloader.load( new URLRequest("[URL]") );
urlloader.addEventListener("complete", xmlComplete);
function xmlComplete(e:Event):void{
[Code] .....

The main part is where I have created the variable: IconGif... it reads a portion of the xml file and turns it into a rference that will eventually relate to an instance name of a movieClip. I was going to use:
ActionScript Code:
this.attachMovie(IconGif,IconGif,100);
to place the item on the stage to whatever the xml says that day,

My problem occurs because the function I have used to create the variable, clashes with the attachMovie function and I receive the message:
TypeError: Error #1006: attachMovie is not a function.
at weather_fla::MainTimeline/xmlComplete()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/flash.events:EventDispatcher::dispatchEventFunctio n()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at flash.net::URLLoader/flash.net:URLLoader:nComplete()

Whatever that means but when I try to call the variable outside of the function, it doesn't know what I'm no about, because as far as it's concerned it doesn't exist, but only when the function is being called. I'm not the wisest with XML and calling up data...