I don’t post a lot of these types of stories, because unfortunately bombers are all too common in this part of the world. But what made this story interesting to me is the symbolism. One group of muslims protesting Israel should be off limits to another muslim suicide bomber-you would think. Israel is equally hated by both Shia and Sunni, so this was an odd attack. I wonder if the bomber even knew what the group was protesting? Or maybe they just didn’t care about that, and just wanted to kill some IIP guys for their martyrdom mission? –Matt
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Suicide bomber hits anti-Israel protest in Iraq
12/28/2008
MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) — A suicide bomber on a bicycle in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul targeted a protest condemning Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing one civilian and wounding 16 on Sunday, police said.
“One civilian was killed and 16 were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up when he rode his bicycle into the middle of an anti-Israeli demonstration in the city,” local police Major Wael Rasheed told AFP.
The protest against Israeli air raids on the impoverished Gaza Strip that have killed at least 280 in the past 24 hours was sponsored by the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP).
“The suicide bomber attacked a demonstration in which most participants were prominent members of the IIP,” Nineveh province politician Yahya Abed Mahjoub told AFP.
The Baghdad government on Saturday condemned the Israeli air raids, saying they left behind “many victims — innocent people and children.”
Mosul, the country’s second largest city, is believed to be the last urban stronghold of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which has been behind hundreds of bombings since the 2003 US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
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