36 killed in Iraq bombings as 'Chemical Ali' executed

AT LEAST 36 people were killed and 80 injured yesterday in three massive explosions in central Baghdad shortly before the Iraqi authorities announced the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid, a reviled figure in the ousted Baathist regime.

The first bomb targeted the Sheraton and Palestine hotels on the eastern bank of the Tigris river across from the fortified Green Zone whish houses parliament, embassies and government offices. The other two bombs struck the nearby Hamra and Babylon hotels. The Sheraton serves as a base for international agencies, while the Babylon is frequented by foreign businessmen and the Hamra by journalists.

The bombings preceded the execution by hanging of Majid, ousted president Saddam Hussein’s cousin and chief henchman, who in March 1988 earned the nickname “Chemical Ali” after he ordered the Kurdish village of Halabja to be sprayed from the air with chemical weapons, killing 5,000 men, women and children.

As defence minister he oversaw the repression of dissident Kurds and Shias and served as governor of Kuwait when it was occupied by Iraq in 1990-91.

Saad al-Mutalabi, an adviser to the council of ministers, blamed yesterday’s bombings on al-Qaeda and said its objective appeared to be scuttling Iraq’s economic recovery. Legislator Ahmed Chalabi accused “Taqfirists”, Sunni extremists and “Saddamists,” supporters of Saddam Hussein of mounting the attacks.

Dr Chalabi, prime mover behind the purge of members of the outlawed Baath Party, called for vigilance against infiltration of the security forces by these elements. He said Britain was partly responsible because it had permitted the sale to Iraq of $85 million in devices for detecting explosives which were ineffective. Until recently these devices have been widely used at checkpoints.

He pointed out that the attack was the fourth in the “same security zone” since last August. More than 400 had died and 1,000 wounded in earlier multiple bombings which struck key ministries, as lawmakers wrangled over a new election law, stoking political tensions.

Although the legislation was adopted late last year, tension rose again this month when Dr Chalabi’s de-Baathification panel banned 515 candidates from standing for parliament in the election, set for March 7th.

While the excluded candidates are both Sunnis and Shias, the majority are secularists running on lists challenging the dominant sectarian Shia parties who are rooted in religion.

Dr Chalabi has joined the bloc headed by the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, affiliated with Iran. Violence is expected to rise ahead of the vote.