Australian hostage freed as 33 die in suicide attacks

IRAQI and US forces, acting on a tip-off, raided a dangerous Sunni neighbourhood yesterday and freed an Australian hostage.

Elsewhere, 33 people died in suicide attacks, including 25 killed when a bomber dressed in Iraqi army uniform blew himself up in a mess hall.

Douglas Wood, a 64-year-old engineer who lives in Alamo, California, said he was "extremely happy and relieved to be free again", according to a message read by Australia's counter terrorism chief Nick Warner.