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Iraq links Syria to Baghdad bombs | Iraq links Syria to Baghdad bombs |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Iraq and Syria have both recalled their ambassadors in a deepening diplomatic rift over accusations that Damascus was harbouring terrorists who attack Iraq. | |
Baghdad summoned its envoy home two days after airing a taped confession that linked two Syria-based Iraqi Baathists to a recent bombing campaign. | |
Hours later Damascus said it was bringing back its envoy in retaliation. | |
The two Arab neighbours only revived diplomatic links in 2006, after more than 20 years of mutual hostility. | |
Near-simultaneous bomb attacks last Wednesday at the finance, foreign and defence ministries in the heart of Baghdad killed nearly 100 people. | |
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. | |
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. | |
"Syria categorically rejects the statement of the spokesman of the Iraqi government regarding the bloody attacks in Baghdad last Wednesday," a foreign ministry said. | |
"Syria had forcefully denounced this terrorist act which left victims among the Iraqi people," it added. | |
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. |