A key terror leader linked to the deaths of at least six coalition soldiers was captured in Karbala, the US military said today, a day after the local council issued strong protests over the arrests of three members.

THREE car bombs rocked northern Baghdad yesterday morning within a span of half an hour while another struck a Shi’ite holy city, killing at least 17 and wounding 44.

Two car bombs rocked northern Baghdad neighbourhoods today while another struck a Shiite holy city, in attacks that left at least 16 dead and 49 wounded, police and provincial officials said.

A defence lawyer in the Saddam Hussein case who was wounded in an ambush today said he had fled the country and was appealing to the ruler of the Gulf state of Qatar to grant him asylum.

Three gunmen in a speeding car killed a defence lawyer in the Saddam Hussein trial and wounded another today in Western Baghdad.