Many killed in Baghdad police station blast

Aljazeera.net

Monday 19 July 2004 - A suspected car bomb has blown up outside a police station in southwestern Baghdad killing at least eight people and wounding four police officers, Iraqi officials, witnesses and the US military said.

Iraqi National Guard Lieutenant Adnan Ghathan said eight people were killed in the blast, and another guardsman said he believed all were civilians.

The attack took place shortly after 0800am (0400 GMT) on Monday as people were arriving at work.

US army Colonel Bill Salter said he believed the attack was carried out by a car bomber and said there were several dead.

A Reuters witness saw body parts scattered across the area in front of the police station, including a severed foot.

Wreckage

The blast destroyed several cars, including several police vehicles, and flames were still licking at the wreckage more than half an hour after the explosion.

A large pool of blood gathered on the street outside the police post as the wounded were loaded into ambulances.

It is the latest in a series of car bomb attacks in recent days.

A car bomb blast outside the headquarters of the US military and the Iraqi interim government in Baghdad last week killed 11 people and wounded about 30.

Also last week, a car bomb blast outside an Iraqi National Guard garrison 200km northwest of Baghdad killed 10 people and wounded two dozen.

Reuters

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B2811D20-93
50-498C-801B-3880F033B9F0.htm