Iraq's foreign minister says militants responsible for deadly bombings
outside Iraq's foreign and finance ministries had help, possibly from
the country's security forces.
Hoshyar Zebari also questioned the government's decision to remove
concrete walls around the ministries, a move he said allowed large
trucks to pass through and carry out Wednesday's blasts.
He said security in the capital has deteriorated during the past two
months, and he warned of more powerful attacks in Baghdad in coming
days because of security breakdowns.
On Friday, security officials announced the arrests of some people
allied with the outlawed Baath party of former Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein, in connection with Wednesday's attacks.
More than 100 people died and another 500 were wounded in the attacks,
the deadliest day in Baghdad since U.S. combat troops withdrew from
urban areas on June 30.
The Iraqi capital had been devastated by a series of attacks, prompting
Iraqi lawmakers to call for a thorough review of their country's
security forces.
On Saturday, gunmen attacked a military checkpoint in northern Baghdad, killing two soldiers and wounding a third.
An Iraqi official said the attack took place in Azamiyah, a mostly Sunni neighborhood, and that the suspects escaped by car.