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January 15, 2010

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Iraqi bombers will be hanged

A BAGHDAD court yesterday sentenced 11 Iraqis to death by hanging after convicting them of carrying out the first of a series of audacious attacks last year to target government buildings in the heart of the city.

The August bombings of Iraq's foreign and finance ministries were a major blow to Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is seeking to reassure Iraqis his government has security under control ahead of crucial March elections.

The bombings, a little less than two months after United States forces pulled back from urban areas, raised questions about Iraqi forces' ability to protect the country when American forces go home.

Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said a criminal court in Baghdad's eastern Risafa district found the 11 defendants guilty of financing, planning and participating in the August 19 bombings that devastated the foreign and finance ministries. The blasts killed more than 100 people.

There have since been two other massive attacks in Baghdad primarily targeting government buildings, in October and December. Those attacks together killed more than 280 people.

Bayrkdar said the defendants have a month to appeal the death sentences, which were handed down with yesterday's ruling. He declined to provide details about those convicted.



 

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