14/09/2004

47 die in 'senseless' Baghdad car bombing

The Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has condemned as "senseless" the detonation of a car bomb in Baghdad today which claimed the lives of at least 47 people.

The bomb, which exploded in a crowded marketplace close to a police station on Haifa Street, injured around 115 people, according to reports.

Today's terrorist atrocity was the deadliest attack in Iraq since July's car bombing of a police station in Baquba in July. Sixty-eight people died in the incident.

Mr Straw said that such "senseless killing" of innocent Iraqis was "completely unacceptable", and had been perpetrated by a "terrorist minority".

He added: "Our thoughts are with all the friends and relatives of those killed and injured. Such actions will not shake the resolve of the Iraqi Interim Government or the Iraqi people to bring about a stable and democratic future for Iraq."

It is believed that an al-Qaeda cell led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi was responsible for today's outrage.

(gmcg/mb)

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