Tunisia: Twin Suicide Attacks Target Police

Two suicide blasts rocked the Tunisian capital on Thursday, according to the country's interior ministry, killing at least one police officer with several people wounded.

The first blast was caused by a suicide bomber targeting a police patrol on Tunis' central Charles de Gaulle street, not far from the French embassy. Two police officers and three civilians were injured, according to the interior ministry. Body parts were strewn in the road around the police car, an AFP news agency correspondent said. The loud explosion was heard throughout the surrounding neighbourhood.

A second attacker blew himself up shortly afterwards near a police station elsewhere in the capital, the interior ministry said. Four people were injured in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incidents.

Suicide Attack Hits Tunisia Resort Town

Police say man blew himself up near hotel in Sousse, south of Tunis, while a would-be bomber was captured in Monastir.

Iran Accuses US and UK of Supporting Group Behind Mosque Attacks
THE GUARDIAN: CIA denies claims it has been backing Jundullah, the Sunni separatist group which has claimed responsibility for the bombs

The aftermath of the suicide bombings in Zahedan, Iran. A Sunni separatist group has claimed responsbility. Photograph: The Guardian
Iran is vowing to hunt down a Sunni separatist group which claimed responsibility for a double suicide bombing that killed 28 people at a mosque in the south-eastern city of Zahedan.

Jundullah – Arabic for "the soldiers of God" – said it carried out the twin attacks yesterday at Zahedan's grand mosque in retaliation for the execution of the group's captured leader. Provincial officials said a further 167 people were injured, some of them critically. Three days of mourning were declared. General Hossein Salami, deputy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, claimed in Tehran today that the victims "were martyred by the hands of mercenaries of the US and UK". Ali Mohammad Azad, governor of Sistan-Baluchestan province, blamed "the intelligence services of arrogant powers."

The US and Britain – which are at odds with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme – issued statements condemning the attacks.

Shia worshippers were celebrating the birthday of the prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein when the first bomb detonated, according to reports from the scene. A second explosion took place 15 minutes later as people rushed to help – a technique used by Sunni groups in Iraq to maximise casualties. The dead reportedly included several Revolutionary Guards.

Iranian media said the aim was to sow discord between Shias and Sunnis in the Sunni majority area, which borders on Pakistan. Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan, has seen several mass casualty attacks in recent years. >>> Ian Black, Middle East editor | Friday, July 16, 2010

Eight Killed in Kabul Suicide Bomb Blast in Diplomatic Quarter
TIMES ONLINE: A massive suicide car bomb ripped through the Afghan capital this morning – at the gates of an upmarket hotel – killing at least eight people and wounding dozens more.

The explosion sent a thick plume of black smoke billowing into the sky above Kabul’s diplomatic district, close to the British and Danish embassies.

Eyewitness Ahmad Jawad said that he saw six bodies on the unmade road, in the immediate aftermath of the blast. Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior said later that eight people were killed; four men and four women. Another 40 people were wounded.

“I was in my car when the bomb exploded in front of me,” said Mr Jawad, 21. “The force of the blast turned my car around. When I got out I saw six bodies in front of the hotel.”

The blast came as President Hamid Karzai was due to attend a conference on how to tackle government corruption at the Foreign Ministry, in a separate part of the city. >>> Jerome Starkey in Kabul | Tuesday, December 15, 2009

How To Be a 'Good' Taliban[i] – 2009 Rules and Regulations
THE TELEGRAPH: Suicide attacks: “Should only be used on high and important targets. A brave son of Islam should not be used for lower and useless targets. Governors, district chiefs and line commanders and every member of the Mujahideen must do their best to avoid civilian deaths, civilian injuries and damage to civilian property. Great care must be taken.”

Prisoners: “Whenever any official, soldier, contractor or worker of the slave government is captured, these prisoners cannot be attacked or harmed. If the prisoner is a director, commander or district chief or higher, the decision on whether to harm, kill, release or forgive them is only made by the Imam.” >>> Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor | Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Muslim Convert Admits Attempted Suicide Terror Attack
Photo of Nicky Reilly, now known as ‘Mohamed Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed-Alim’, courtesy of The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: A Muslim convert has admitted trying to blow himself up at a shopping centre with a home-made nail bomb.

Nicky Reilly, 22, who uses the Muslim name Mohamed Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed-Alim, pleaded guilty to launching the failed attack on a busy family restaurant at the Princesshay shopping centre in Exeter in May this year

Reilly researched how to make a bomb, acquired the components and made three devices using caustic soda, paraffin and aluminium foil, along with nails, which he had put in glass soft drink bottles.

But when he attempted to assemble one of the soft drink bottle bombs in the toilet cubicle of the restaurant it exploded in his hands.

Reilly appeared at the Old Bailey via a video link and pleaded guilty to attempted murder at the Giraffe restaurant.

He also admitted engaging in preparation for terrorism in that he researched targets and how to make bombs and prepared three of them in the restaurant.

Two charges under the Explosives Act were not put to him because prosecutor Stuart Baker told the court that they were alternatives to the more serious charges. Muslim Convert Admits Attempted Suicide Terror Attack >>> By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent | October 15, 2008

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