(Associated Press)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A sport-utility vehicle packed with artillery shells slammed into a crowd of people waiting to volunteer Thursday for the Iraqi military, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 138, authorities said. A U.S. military officer said the bombing was believed to be a suicide attack.
Hours later, Iraq's interior minister said that there were links between the bombing and Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
A large plume of smoke rose over the city after the blast, which could be heard several miles away.
No American troops were near the explosion, and U.S. Army Col. Mike Murray said no Iraqi forces were among the casualties.
However, survivors and Iraqi officials said many of the victims had gone to the center to volunteer for the government security force.
Capt. Hani Hussein of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps said about 100 volunteers were trying to enter the recruiting center when a car crashed into the crowd. A Health Ministry official said at least 35 people died and 138 were injured.
"We were standing waiting for our turn to register," Rafid Mudhar told The Associated Press from his hospital bed in Karama Hospital. "All of a sudden, we heard big explosion and most of those standing fell on the ground including me."
He said he was unconscious for a while, then managed to reach a nearby ambulance.
Yas Khudair, a member of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, said all the victims were "poor people" who "wanted to volunteer to support their families."
There were no Americans nearby when the explosion occurred, he said.
Murray said many of the victims had just gotten off a bus at about 9 a.m. along a four-lane road near the old Muthanna airport, which is used by U.S. forces as a base.
"This clearly again was an attack that has hurt the Iraqi people," Murray said.
Some links' to foreign terror leader
The bombing was the latest in a series of attacks on U.S. coalition forces and their Iraqi allies as the Americans prepare to hand over sovereignty on June 30. Coalition authorities have warned that attacks by insurgents could escalate in the weeks leading to the transfer.
When asked by reporters if he saw al-Zarqawi's hand in the attack, Iraqi interim Interior Minister Falah Hassan al-Naqib said "I think there is some links."
He also blamed the attack and a spate of other car bombings on foreigners. The U.S. military has counted 20 car bomb attacks so far in June alone.
"We are quite sure and confident they are not Iraqis," al-Naqib said. "And we have very good indications that they came from abroad."
Al-Naqib said that one of al-Zarqawi's aides had been arrested, though he didn't say, who, where or when.
Al-Zarqawi is a Jordanian-born extremist believed to have ties to Osama bin Laden.
The CIA says al-Zarqawi was the black-clad militant who decapitated Nicholas Berg in a videotape posted last month on an Islamic Web site. He also is believed to have been behind numerous suicide bombings in Iraq.
U.S. authorities are offering a $10 million reward for his capture.
U.K. condemns attack
The attack was condemned by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who said it was aimed at disrupting the transfer of power later this month.
"This is an attack directly at the Iraqi people," Straw said.
"The terrorists used to justify their terror saying it was against the occupation. The occupation is going to end in 12 days time; now the terrorists appear to be trying to stop the transfer of power to the Iraqi people themselves.
"We and the Iraqi people will not be deterred. The transfer of power will take place. Iraqis will take control of their lives."
Prime Minister Tony Blair's Iraq human rights envoy, Ann Clwyd, said she expected violence to continue after power is handed over to an interim Iraqi government on June 30.
"The Iraqis themselves did say when I was there three weeks ago they thought attacks of this kind would continue with increased ferocity up to June 30 and possibly for six months afterwards," she told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
She predicted "a very different scene" in six months' time.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A sport-utility vehicle packed with artillery shells slammed into a crowd of people waiting to volunteer Thursday for the Iraqi military, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 138, authorities said. A U.S. military officer said the bombing was believed to be a suicide attack.
Hours later, Iraq's interior minister said that there were links between the bombing and Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
A large plume of smoke rose over the city after the blast, which could be heard several miles away.
No American troops were near the explosion, and U.S. Army Col. Mike Murray said no Iraqi forces were among the casualties.
However, survivors and Iraqi officials said many of the victims had gone to the center to volunteer for the government security force.
Capt. Hani Hussein of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps said about 100 volunteers were trying to enter the recruiting center when a car crashed into the crowd. A Health Ministry official said at least 35 people died and 138 were injured.
"We were standing waiting for our turn to register," Rafid Mudhar told The Associated Press from his hospital bed in Karama Hospital. "All of a sudden, we heard big explosion and most of those standing fell on the ground including me."
He said he was unconscious for a while, then managed to reach a nearby ambulance.
Yas Khudair, a member of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, said all the victims were "poor people" who "wanted to volunteer to support their families."
There were no Americans nearby when the explosion occurred, he said.
Murray said many of the victims had just gotten off a bus at about 9 a.m. along a four-lane road near the old Muthanna airport, which is used by U.S. forces as a base.
"This clearly again was an attack that has hurt the Iraqi people," Murray said.
Some links' to foreign terror leader
The bombing was the latest in a series of attacks on U.S. coalition forces and their Iraqi allies as the Americans prepare to hand over sovereignty on June 30. Coalition authorities have warned that attacks by insurgents could escalate in the weeks leading to the transfer.
When asked by reporters if he saw al-Zarqawi's hand in the attack, Iraqi interim Interior Minister Falah Hassan al-Naqib said "I think there is some links."
He also blamed the attack and a spate of other car bombings on foreigners. The U.S. military has counted 20 car bomb attacks so far in June alone.
"We are quite sure and confident they are not Iraqis," al-Naqib said. "And we have very good indications that they came from abroad."
Al-Naqib said that one of al-Zarqawi's aides had been arrested, though he didn't say, who, where or when.
Al-Zarqawi is a Jordanian-born extremist believed to have ties to Osama bin Laden.
The CIA says al-Zarqawi was the black-clad militant who decapitated Nicholas Berg in a videotape posted last month on an Islamic Web site. He also is believed to have been behind numerous suicide bombings in Iraq.
U.S. authorities are offering a $10 million reward for his capture.
U.K. condemns attack
The attack was condemned by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who said it was aimed at disrupting the transfer of power later this month.
"This is an attack directly at the Iraqi people," Straw said.
"The terrorists used to justify their terror saying it was against the occupation. The occupation is going to end in 12 days time; now the terrorists appear to be trying to stop the transfer of power to the Iraqi people themselves.
"We and the Iraqi people will not be deterred. The transfer of power will take place. Iraqis will take control of their lives."
Prime Minister Tony Blair's Iraq human rights envoy, Ann Clwyd, said she expected violence to continue after power is handed over to an interim Iraqi government on June 30.
"The Iraqis themselves did say when I was there three weeks ago they thought attacks of this kind would continue with increased ferocity up to June 30 and possibly for six months afterwards," she told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
She predicted "a very different scene" in six months' time.
