UN condemns terrorist attack on Iraqi Parliament

The UN Security Council today condemned the terrorist attack on Iraq’s parliament “in the strongest terms” and called for national dialogue and reconciliation to restore peace and security in the violence-wracked country.

In a presidential statement read at a formal meeting, the council underlined the need “to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.”

It urged all countries to cooperate with Iraqi authorities to find those responsible.

US officials said today one Iraqi civilian was killed and 22 were wounded in yesterday’s suicide attack on the parliament cafeteria in the heavily fortified Green Zone compound in Baghdad.

Iraqi officials said Mohammed Wad, a Sunni member of the moderate National Dialogue Front, was killed.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent umbrella group which includes al Qaida in Iraq, today claimed one of its “knights” carried out the attack which it said killed three politicians and seriously injured several others.

In its statement, the Security Council condemned “in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Iraq that targeted the democratically elected Council of Representatives.”

It sent condolences “to the victims of this heinous act of terrorism and their families, and to the people and the government of Iraq.”

“The Security Council strongly supports efforts to promote national dialogue, reconciliation and broad political participation in ensuring unity, peace, security and stability in Iraq,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, the Security Council demands that those who use violence in an attempt to subvert the political process must cease hostilities, lay down their arms and participate in that process,” it said.

The council reaffirmed “its continued support for the Iraqi people and government as they rebuild their country and strengthen the foundations of sustainable peace, constitutional democracy, and social and economic progress.”

The council adopted the statement on Iraq a day after it strongly condemned two suicide terrorist bombings in the Algerian capital targeting the prime minister’s office and a police station that killed 33 people and injured 57.

Council members reiterated in the Iraq statement what they said in the Algerian statement _ “that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation” and that terrorism must be combated “by all means.”

The US military will not take over the job of securing the Iraqi parliament building in the aftermath of the deadly suicide bombing in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, a top commander said today.

Lt Gen Ray Odierno, the No 2 US commander in Iraq, said “it is clear we still have a long way to go to provide stability and security to Iraq.”

Nevertheless, he told Pentagon reporters the Iraqis should continue to provide security for their government building.

“It doesn’t help them for us to provide that security. They have to do that,” Odierno said, and he has confidence in the Iraqi security forces’ ability.

“Frankly yesterday was a bad day, a very bad day. But we’re going to come back from that,” he said.

Odierno, speaking from Camp Liberty in Baghdad, also said that US and Iraqi forces are investigating the bombing, including how insurgents were able to penetrate the security.

Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the Iraqi government who was at the White House briefing reporters, said his government is doing what is necessary to stop the threat in the Green Zone.

He said there are instances where people who have been given permission to enter the Green Zone have misused the privilege.

He said if US troops left Iraq too early, it would be a “great gift” to those responsible for the latest attack within the high-security area.

“Definitely it will make a vacuum of power in Iraq, which is not desirable by anyone,” he said.