Suicide bomber kills 20 west of Baghdad-police

14 May 2008 18:34:21 GMT
Source: Reuters
BAGHDAD, May 14 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed 20 people and wounded dozens more when he blew himself up at a funeral west of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi police said.

There was no claim of responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on al Qaeda in Iraq militants.

The group is blamed for most suicide attacks in Iraq.

Earlier---

The bomber’s victims had been mourning the death of Taha al-Zobaie, who was killed two days ago, said Abu Mustapha, a relative who had shrapnel wounds and who would give only his nickname. The Zobaie tribe has opposed Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.

“He was a child about 15 years old, and he was crying,” Abu Mustapha said, describing the bomber. “I don’t think he exploded himself because I did not see him move his hands. I think someone exploded him by remote control.”

The suicide bomb attack south of Baghdad occurred near Yusufiya, a town that was once heavily dominated by extremists connected to Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The bomber, who was female, killed an Iraqi Army captain and wounded seven Iraqi soldiers, the American military said.

Iraqis in the area described the bomber as being 8 to 12 years old, but an American military spokesman said the bomber appeared to be 16 to 18 years old. The bomber waited four hours for the captain to return to the company’s headquarters, telling soldiers there that she needed to talk to him, according to an Iraqi officer who was in the same brigade as the captain. He said Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia had put a price on the captain’s head.