Date: 29 August 2003

Location: Najaf, Iraq

Type of event: terrorism

Description:

At about 2:00 PM, twin car bombs exploded outside the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, Iraq, killing 125 (although reports vary; some report only 83 to 94 killed). An estimated 700 kg of explosives was used, ordnance left over from the Hussein regime. Among those killed was Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, a Shiite leader. About 500 were injured. Four men, two Saudis and two Iraqis, were arrested shortly after the explosion, and another 15 were arrested in the next two days, including 6 Palestinians and other foreigners; initial reports link those arrested to Al Quaeda.

Consequences: 125 killed, 500 injured

References:

• BBC, "Four arrested over Najaf bombing," 30 Aug. 2003, BBC News, on line [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3193713.stm].
• CBS/AP, "Mosque Blast: 19 Al Qaeda Nabbed", 31 Aug. 2003, CBS News, on line [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/08/31/iraq/main570944.shtml].
• CNN, "Two held in Najaf blast suspected of al Qaeda links," 30 Aug. 2003, CNN, on line [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/08/30/sprj.irq.main/].
• IBC, 2005, The Iraq Body Count Database, on line [http://www.iraqbodycount.net/database/bodycount_count_down.php].
• Salama, Sammy, "Possible suspects and motives for the suicide bombings in Iraq," 30 March 2004, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, on line [http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/040330.htm].

© 2017 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 26 November 2017.
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