Bad Guest: Female Suicide Bomber Kills Awakening Leader In Living Room
Remains of actual bomber
BAGHDAD (AP) - A female suicide bomber on Monday killed the head of a local group of Sunni fighters northeast of Baghdad who had turned against al-Qaida insurgents, the leader’s brother and a provincial police official said.
Sheik Thaeir Ghadhban al-Karkhi, his 5-year-old niece, a 24-year cousin and a security guard were killed in the blast in Diyala province, where violence has persisted despite drops in other parts of Iraq.
Duraid Mahmoud, the sheik’s brother, told The Associated Press he witnessed the attack inside his brother’s home. A provincial police official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release the information, confirmed the attack.
The woman, wearing an explosives belt, entered al-Karkhi’s home in the predominantly Sunni town of Kanaan, 13 miles east of Baqouba.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. But al-Qaida in Iraq has been targeting fellow Sunni Arabs who have taken up arms against the militants and joined the so-called awakening councils like the one al-Karkhi led.
The councils are made up of U.S.-backed former insurgents who have risen up against al-Qaida’s brutality and strict Islamic codes of conduct it was trying to impose on local populations.
The U.S. military said it was looking into the incident but did not immediately have any details.
Mahmoud said the bomber had visited the sheik’s house on Sunday, claiming that her husband had been kidnapped and asking for help. Mahmoud said his brother told the woman to return Monday.
“She came back this morning and nobody checked her. She had an appointment with the sheik and the guards told her to go and knock on his door,” Mahmoud said.
The woman was ushered into the house and blew herself up once she got close to the sheik, he said, adding that the sheik’s 5-year-old niece and a security guard also were killed.
One of the men wounded in the attack—the son of a cousin of the sheik—later died at the hospital, according to a hospital official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
A few hours after the attack, the sheik’s coffin was placed in the bed of a pick-up truck and taken for burial, as supporters riding in back waved an Iraqi flag and the banner of the local awakening council.
Dozens of armed men milled about outside al-Karkhi’s home, some weeping. A large pool of blood outside the door shimmered in the afternoon sun.
Female suicide bombers have been involved in at least 19 attacks or attempted attacks since the war began, including the grisly bombings of two pet markets in Baghdad that killed nearly 100 people on Feb. 1.
A female suicide bomber last struck in a Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad on Feb. 17, detonating herself after soldiers fired three bullets at her. Causalities were disputed in that attack, with Iraqi officials saying four people were killed, while the U.S. military said only the bomber died.
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All I see is legs and hair; that is some serious 70’s bush…
March 10th, 2008 at 6:35 amWeird how the suicide bombers wind up gone but for the head and the odd limb.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:00 amHe could have used a T5000 …
March 10th, 2008 at 7:04 am@deathstar: not that weird…if they’re wearing a vest, the blast will crush the torso, rip the arms off (unless they are being held over the head) but will tend to leave other body parts unaffected.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:01 amTedB, how’s this, she had a bad hair day.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:39 am[[not that weird…if they’re wearing a vest, the blast will crush the torso, rip the arms off (unless they are being held over the head) but will tend to leave other body parts unaffected.]]
Your right, not weird I guess, just interesting.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:48 amJohn,
She can’t do a thing with it…
…no arms!
March 10th, 2008 at 9:24 amTedB, good one.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:32 amThey’ll be using children next.
March 10th, 2008 at 11:16 am