Iraq blasts kill policeman's baby nephew, 7 others

[October 19, 2010]  BAGHDAD (AP) -- A bomb detonated near the house of a policeman in Saddam Hussein's hometown on Tuesday, killing six people, including the officer's 6-month-old nephew and the baby's parents, officials said.

The blast in Tikrit, located some 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Baghdad, leveled the home of Lt. Col. Qais Rashid. Rashid's baby nephew, Shahad Mohammed, was killed, along with both of his parents. Three other family members -- Rashid's mother, brother and sister -- also were killed, said Col. Khalid Jassim of the Tikrit police.

Rashid and his young niece survived the blast, officials said.

Saad Hassan, an official in Tikrit's main hospital, confirmed the death toll.

In Samarra, 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Baghdad, a roadside bomb struck a police patrol, killing two policemen and wounding two others, while in the capital two bombs attached to buses wounded 15 Iranian pilgrims, officials said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi military general said he will investigate his troops in connection with the beating of journalists who were covering a bombing in Baghdad a day earlier.

Two Associated Press journalists were among those assaulted by Iraqi soldiers while trying to cover a Monday morning bombing that killed a Baghdad provincial council lawmaker. An AP Television News cameraman had his foot broken in the beatings and soldiers punched and kicked an AP photographer.

Commander of Military Operations Lt. Gen. Abdul-Karim al-Izi said late Monday that the beatings an "event of aggression against journalists in Baghdad" and said he will not ignore the incident.

[Associated Press; By SAAD ABDUL-KADIR]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.