Iraq blames Baghdad bombings on Saddam loyalists

The Iraqi army on Thursday blamed a wave of near-simultaneous bombings that killed more than 50 people in mostly Shiite districts of Baghdad on loyalists of Saddam Hussein's toppled regime.

"This series of bombings was supposed to be carried out on the 28th, the birthday of Saddam Hussein," Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim Atta told AFP, referring to the former dictator executed in December 2006.

"But because of the security measures that we took that day they could not carry it out," he said, adding that the attacks appeared to be aimed at sowing "sectarian strife" between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

Three car bombs on Wednesday tore through markets in the sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City, the main stronghold of anti-US cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which was controlled by his Mahdi Army militia before a major US and Iraqi operation last year.

At least 51 people were killed and scores wounded in the attacks. Another seven people were killed in four additional explosions in Shiite and mixed neighbourhoods elsewhere in the capital.

Atta said security forces were able to defuse another six car bombs set to go off at the same time.

The attacks were reminiscent of the coordinated bombings of crowded Shiite areas during the height of Iraq's sectarian fighting in 2006, which provoked the reprisal killing of thousands of Sunni men by Shiite militias.

There were no reports of any retaliatory violence after Wednesday's attacks, but residents of Sadr City accused the security forces of failing to protect them and many said they trusted the Mahdi Army to do a better job.

"We want the Mahdi Army to come back despite its mistakes, because it never made mistakes like the Irai army did," Ahmed Shihab, 29, said.

Security forces cordoned off the area of the attacks and the streets were largely empty except for the funeral tents set up by the roadside.

The US military said that the bombings were meant to trigger the kind of confessional strife that swept Iraq in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion.

"These attacks are an attempt to incite sectarian violence, but the Iraqi people have shown that they are rejecting this bankrupt philosophy," it said.

The Islamic Party -- the largest Sunni party in parliament -- issued a statement on Thursday condemning the attacks as a "criminal operation aimed at sowing terror and sectarian strife."

Wednesday's attacks came a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hailed the arrest of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, said to be the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and blamed for a wave of attacks targeting Shiites and security forces.

Maliki referred to Baghdadi as "the head of evil, the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq," and said he had ties to the followers of Saddam's regime.

The Shiite premier's Dawa party said in a statement that Wednesday's attacks came in response to Baghdadi's detention.

"These cowardly bombings carried out by the remnants of the Baath party and Al-Qaeda terrorists are a reaction to the arrest of the emir of terrorism in Iraq," it said, referring to Baghdadi.

The Iraqi parliament meanwhile approved a measure proposed by Sadrist MPs to summon senior security officials for questioning regarding the bombings, a parliamentary official told AFP.

Those set to be called in for questioning include Iraqi army commanders responsible for guarding Sadr City. Parliament has not yet set a date for the questioning.

Security has improved dramatically since US and Iraqi forces began allying with local tribes and former insurgents in late 2006 to combat Al-Qaeda and other militias, but attacks are still common.

April has been the bloodiest month since the start of the year, with more than 300 people killed and more than 700 wounded, according to an AFP tally based on reports from security officials.