AN al-Qaida linked group claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings in the heart of Baghdad that killed at least 155 people as Iraq’s political leadership yesterday stepped up efforts to agree on new voting guidelines ahead of January elections.

An al-Qaida-linked Sunni group said today that it kidnapped 18 government workers and soldiers in retaliation for the alleged rape of a Sunni woman by members of the Shiite-dominated police force.

An al-Qaida-linked terror group has urged Muslim militants to attack oil facilities all over the world, including Canada, Mexico and Venezuela, to stop the flow of oil to the US.

AN al-Qaida fugitive killed in a recent Pakistani military operation near the Afghan border was a local operative and not the terror network’s intelligence chief, Pakistan’s army spokesman said yesterday.

AN al-Qaida member who was the top suspect wanted in the Riyadh suicide bombings was killed along with three other militants in a shootout with police yesterday, officials said.