Car bomb death toll hits seven - report

An apparent suicide car bomber hit a police station in northeast Baghdad today and one report said at least seven people died.

The driver took a white car through the police compound gate, was fired at by officers and then detonated the bomb.

The Al-Jazeera satellite broadcaster reported seven people killed.

Police Col Muthana Hussein said there were at least 20 casualties.

A dozen ambulances raced toward the facility in the Shiite Muslim slum known as Sadr City.

The attack happened just as policemen were lining up in the courtyard of the facility for the morning role call.

Scores of US soldiers surrounded the building in Humvees.

A mosque near the scene was blaring warnings to the thousands of residents who had gathered at the station to leave the area for fear of a second booby-trapped car.