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Iraq links Syria to Baghdad bombs Iraq links Syria to Baghdad bombs
(about 3 hours later)
Iraq has recalled its ambassador to Damascus and demanded Syria hand over two men accused of masterminding a string of deadly bombings in Baghdad. Iraq and Syria have both recalled their ambassadors in a deepening diplomatic rift over accusations that Damascus was harbouring terrorists who attack Iraq.
On Sunday, Iraqi police broadcast video purportedly showing the confession of a man who took part in Wednesday's bomb attacks, which killed about 100 people. Baghdad summoned its envoy home two days after airing a taped confession that linked two Syria-based Iraqi Baathists to a recent bombing campaign.
The taped confession, which cannot be verified, said a Syrian-based Baathist leader, Sattam Farhan, ordered them. Hours later Damascus said it was bringing back its envoy in retaliation.
Iraq and Syria restored diplomatic ties in late 2006 after a break of 24 years. The two Arab neighbours only revived diplomatic links in 2006, after more than 20 years of mutual hostility.
Many members of the Baath party fled to Syria after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, when the former ruling party of Iraq collapsed and was banned by the occupation authorities. Near-simultaneous bomb attacks last Wednesday at the finance, foreign and defence ministries in the heart of Baghdad killed nearly 100 people.
A cabinet statement called on Syria to hand over Mr Farhan and the other alleged mastermind, Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed. The taped confession of a man identified as Wissam Ali Kadhim Ibrahim said a Syrian-based Baathist leader, Sattam Farhan, ordered the attacks. It is impossible to verify the claims.
"The cabinet decided to ask that they be handed over for their direct role in carrying out the terrorist operation," it added. Correspondents say the flare-up throws extensive international efforts to boost ties between the countries for the sake of regional security and stability into disarray.
The confession, shown at a police news conference, showed a man identified as Wissam Ali Kadhim Ibrahim giving details of the preparation of the attacks. "Syria categorically rejects the statement of the spokesman of the Iraqi government regarding the bloody attacks in Baghdad last Wednesday," a foreign ministry said.
Although Syria's Baath party leadership was often the adversary of the Iraqi Baath, correspondents say this latest accusation of a Damascus link is politically explosive. "Syria had forcefully denounced this terrorist act which left victims among the Iraqi people," it added.
However, in a separate development, a statement from an extremist Islamist militant group, that is violently opposed to the secular Baathists, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Earlier, an Iraqi cabinet statement had called on Syria to hand over Mr Farhan and the other alleged mastermind, Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed.
"The cabinet decided to ask that they be handed over for their direct role in carrying out the terrorist operation," it said.
Syria is ruled by a rival branch of the Baath party, which was overthrown in Iraq by the US-led invasion and subsequently banned.
Hundreds of former Baathists are thought to have taken refuge in Syria since the 2003 collapse of Saddam Hussein's government.
In a separate development that appeared to run counter to the confession, a statement from an extremist Islamist militant group, that is violently opposed to the secular Baathists, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The Islamic State of Iraq, known to be an al-Qaeda umbrella group, said it had carried out the bombings to "wreck the bastions of infidelity" in Baghdad.The Islamic State of Iraq, known to be an al-Qaeda umbrella group, said it had carried out the bombings to "wreck the bastions of infidelity" in Baghdad.
The statement was posted on Tuesday morning on a website commonly used by extremist militant groups.The statement was posted on Tuesday morning on a website commonly used by extremist militant groups.
Last Wednesday's near-simultaneous truck bombings targeted Baghdad's finance, foreign and defence ministries.