Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
August 22, 2009

Iraqi FM: Security Forces Possibly Involved in Baghdad Blasts
-------------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2627C3C:A6F02AD83191E16058A63168CCDB2FBAF47489ACC27D21EE&
 
Hoshyar Zebari also questions government's decision to remove concrete
walls around ministries, move he says allowed large trucks to pass
through, carry out Wednesday's blasts 
Fire fighters respond as smoke billows over Iraqi Foreign Ministry,
after massive bomb attack in Baghdad, 19 Aug 2009Iraq'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. Some information for this report was provided
by AFP, AP and Reuters. 


.