'Islamic State of Iraq' carried out bombing

The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent umbrella group which includes al-Qaida in Iraq, today claimed one of its “knights” carried out the parliament suicide bombing in Baghdad’s Green Zone.

At the same time US military officials revised the death toll sharply downward to one dead. It had previously said eight people had died in the attack.

The Islamic State said in an internet posting that it had delayed issuing the claim of responsibility to allow its men time to flee.

Iraqi officials, said the bomber was believed to have been a bodyguard for an unnamed Sunni lawmaker who was not among the casualties.

“A knight from the state of Islam ... reached the heart of the Green Zone ... the temporary headquarters of the mice of the infidel parliament and blew himself up among a gathering of the infidel masters,” the Islamic State said in the statement posted on one Islamist website commonly used by insurgents.

The Site Institute, which tracks militant web postings, said the claim by the Islamic State was authentic.

In a statement this morning, the US military said “after further research and consultation with government of Iraq officials” it had determined that only one “civilian” had been killed in the attack and 22 were wounded.

Parliament officials said the victim was Mohammed Awad, a Sunni member of the moderate National Dialogue Front. Seven of the wounded were members of parliament, the officials said.

US military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell had said yesterday that eight people were killed in the bombing, a major security breach in the most heavily guard region of Baghdad.

Iraqi politicians, meanwhile, expressed outrage and resolve today in a rare session of parliament on the Muslim day of prayer. A red and white bouquet sat Awad’s place in the parliament chamber.

MPs took the podium one after another to denounce the bombing. One MP had his arm in sling and a woman politician wore a neck brace.

“The more they (terrorists) act, the more solid we become. When they take from us one martyr, we will offer more martyrs,” Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi said. “The more they target our unity, the stronger our unity becomes.”