Two bomb blasts in Iraq

Iraq, ten people were killed and 56 others wounded today in two bomb blasts in downtown Ramadi and Diyala yesterday. According to Iraq news agency, eight people killed and 53 injured in first incident when a suicide bomber blew up his car outside government offices. The killed include six policemen and one woman. In a separate bomb attack in Diyala, two civilians have been killed and three others wounded when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt blew himself up amid a Shiite procession.Iraq police have dismantled twelve “terrorist” cells that were planning armed operations targeting pilgrims heading for Karbala for the Ashuraa. The chief of Operations Commands, General Othman al-Ghanimi said in a press conference that these cells comprised 60 gunmen and they confessed to their plans for attacks targeting pilgrims to Karbala. He added that the security personnel also defused four improvised explosive devices on the Babel-Karbala highway.
AIR correspondent Dhirendra Ojha reports that Government offices were targeted in Ramadi while Shia procession was the target at Baquba in Diyala. Police officials say, security agencies are working within a pre-emptive plan to foil any attempt by terrorists ahead of Ashura, which is observed by a large number people from Shiite faith. Apart from intelligence elements 30,000 security men have been deployed on the ways leading to Karbala. The attacks highlight the serious power vacuum that exists in the country as political parties are struggling to form a new government more than eight months after parliamentary elections.