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| Baghdad office bombing kills 10 | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Six Iraqis, two American soldiers and two US civilians have been killed in a bomb attack at a local council office in eastern Baghdad. | |
| One of the US civilians was an official with the state department and the other worked for the defence department, US embassy officials said. | One of the US civilians was an official with the state department and the other worked for the defence department, US embassy officials said. |
| Ten people were wounded including three members of the Sadr City council. | Ten people were wounded including three members of the Sadr City council. |
| The US military has blamed the attack on what it calls "special groups", or rogue members of Shia Muslim militias. | The US military has blamed the attack on what it calls "special groups", or rogue members of Shia Muslim militias. |
| Iraqi police said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, but investigations by the US military suggested a bomb had been planted in the building. | Iraqi police said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, but investigations by the US military suggested a bomb had been planted in the building. |
| A suspect who tested positive for contact with explosives had been caught trying to flee the scene, the US said. | A suspect who tested positive for contact with explosives had been caught trying to flee the scene, the US said. |
| Eyewitnesses said the bomb exploded inside the office of the deputy leader of the council, who was among the injured. | Eyewitnesses said the bomb exploded inside the office of the deputy leader of the council, who was among the injured. |
| Emphasis on councils | Emphasis on councils |
| Representatives had been due to elect a chairman of the council for Sadr City, a militant Shia stronghold which has been the scene of fierce battles between US troops and fighters from the Mehdi Army, the militia loyal to the anti-US Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr. | Representatives had been due to elect a chairman of the council for Sadr City, a militant Shia stronghold which has been the scene of fierce battles between US troops and fighters from the Mehdi Army, the militia loyal to the anti-US Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr. |
| On Monday, a gunman opened fire at US troops attending a municipal council meeting in a mainly Sunni Muslim area south-east of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and and wounding another three. | On Monday, a gunman opened fire at US troops attending a municipal council meeting in a mainly Sunni Muslim area south-east of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and and wounding another three. |
| Correspondents say the US military has been working hard to shore up local government in Iraq amid a sharp drop in insurgency activity, to prevent areas from falling back under the control of Sunni and Shia extremists. | Correspondents say the US military has been working hard to shore up local government in Iraq amid a sharp drop in insurgency activity, to prevent areas from falling back under the control of Sunni and Shia extremists. |
| "This was the fourth meeting of this district council, led by hard-working Iraqis determined to make a difference and set Sadr City off on the right path," said US spokesman Lt Col John Digiambatista. | "This was the fourth meeting of this district council, led by hard-working Iraqis determined to make a difference and set Sadr City off on the right path," said US spokesman Lt Col John Digiambatista. |
| "Special Groups are afraid of progress and afraid of empowering the people," he added. | "Special Groups are afraid of progress and afraid of empowering the people," he added. |
| He said the "cowardly" attack would only harden the determination of this council, as well as local civilians and the military. | He said the "cowardly" attack would only harden the determination of this council, as well as local civilians and the military. |