Female bombers kill at least 73

[unhappycamper]

Female bombers kill at least 73
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, February 2, 2008

A pair of female suicide bombers killed at least 73 people in bombings at two animal markets in Baghdad on Friday, shattering the relative calm seen in Iraq’s capital in recent months.

The attacks happened about 20 minutes apart, and Iraqi police officials said more than 100 people were wounded.

The chief Iraqi military spokesman in Baghdad, Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, claimed the female bombers had Down syndrome and that the explosives were detonated by remote control.

The first attack struck the main pet market in central Baghdad around 10:30 a.m., killing 46 people, police said. The market was crowded with people on Friday, the Islamic day of rest and prayer. Witnesses told police that the woman detonated a suicide vest hidden under her black robes.

The market has been struck by bombings several times before. In November, 13 people were killed and 58 wounded; and in January 2007, a bombing killed 15 and wounded 52.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52121