Bomber kills 13 in Baghdad mosque
The imam of the Buratha mosque in northern Baghdad, a leading politician and deputy in the governing Shi’ite coalition — who often spoke out against the late terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — blamed al-Qaida in Iraq for the attack.
Jalal Eddin al-Sagheer said the attacker was carrying explosive-laden shoes, but the ministry of the interior said that was still unclear. They speculated the suicide bomber may have been carrying a vest, because of the scale of destruction.
“The guards discovered two pair of shoes, full of explosives that got them to start searching all the worshippers. When one of them tried to search the suicide bomber, he blew himself up,” Mr al-Sagheer said.
The device contained metal balls and fragments, according to a police officer.
Television footage showed a large scorch mark in the middle of the mosque. Its turquoise and gold trimmed tiles walls and white ceiling were spattered with blood, and the bomber had been dismembered and beheaded by the force of the blast.
The attack came despite a massive security operation in the capital aimed at restoring order, including a vehicle ban during prayers, to prevent suicide car bomb attacks.
“They were targeting me for the second time and the prayers also,” Mr al-Sagheer said.
It was the second time the mosque has been hit in just over two months. The Buratha mosque also was attacked during prayers on Friday, April 7, when four suicide bombers, including a woman, triggered explosions that killed at least 85 worshippers as they left the mosque after the main weekly religious service.
The US military blamed that attack on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida in Iraq leader who was killed last week in a US airstrike. The terror group issued a statement on Tuesday vowing to avenge al-Zarqawi’s death and threatening horrific attacks “in the coming days.”
Meanwhile, the first handover of security responsibility to Iraqi forces is set to go ahead next week, in the first concrete step towards the withdrawal of coalition troops.
Al-Muthanna province is presently controlled by a coalition force from Britain, Australia and Japan,.
A report in Japan yesterday said British officials had told their counterparts that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki would announce the transfer on Tuesday.
A senior British official has said that two provinces in the British-controlled southern region could be handed over this summer.
As well as al-Muthanna, Maysan province was “not far away” from being ready, he suggested.
* The second-ranking US commander in Iraq has received and is reviewing the investigative report related to allegations that US Marines were involved in an alleged massacre and cover-up in Haditha last November.
Lieutenant General Peter Chiarelli received the report yesterday morning and was “currently reviewing the investigative report from Major General Eldon Bargewell”.
