Almost 50 killed in shrine suicide attack

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near one of Shiite Islam’s holiest shrines today, killing almost 50 people.

The blast near the Imam Hussein shrine in central Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, killed 49 people and injured 52, Karbala police Colonel Razaq al-Taie said.

It was later reported that a suicide bomber had targeted police recruits in Ramadi, but the number of casualties was unknown.

Television images showed men ferrying the Karbala wounded in push carts, and pools of blood lying on the ground.

The bomber appeared to have set off the explosion only about 30 yards from the shrine in a busy pedestrian area surrounded by shops.

The bomber detonated about eight kilogrammes of explosives and several hand grenades, Al-Taie said.

Al-Khazraji blamed “takfiris and Saddamists” for the attack. The takfiri ideology is followed by extremist Sunni Muslims bent on killing anyone considered to be an infidel, even fellow Muslims who disagree with their doctrine.

Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a takfiri.

Today’s attack follows a heavy day of violence yesterday, when at least 53 people were killed around Iraq, including 32 killed by a suicide bomber at a Shiite funeral east of Baqouba.