Iraq Foils "Terrorist Action" Against Baghdad District

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 25, 2001

Iraq Foils "Terrorist Action" Against Baghdad District

Iraq's security forces have caught "Iranian agents" trying to "commit a sabotage and terrorist action" against one of the most populous districts in Baghdad, the official INA news agency reported on Saturday.

"The criminals have admitted their crimes and identified agent and terrorist sides which pushed them to fulfill their hostile goals schemed by the vice circles in the Iranian regime," INA said, quoting a statement from a security official.

However, the report did not say how many people have been detained or when they were captured. Iraq said on November 1 that it defused a car bomb in Baghdad's Al-Karkh residential area, adding that "some criminal elements tried to commit a criminal and treacherous act" by leaving an 11- kilogram bomb in a car in the area "to kill innocent people and destroy their property." Iraq has often blamed Iran for explosions in and mortar shelling to Baghdad, and held "Iranian agents" accountable for an explosion in the capital in February, which left two people dead. Iraq and Iran, which fought a war in 1980-88, have been unable to normalize ties because of thorny issues including prisoners of war and support for each other's rebel groups.