Iraqi forces arrested the nephew of ex-speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and four bodyguards, who are also his cousins. They were picked up two days ago after a detainee claimed the five were involved in bomb attacks against a Shi’ite neighborhood in Baghdad. As speaker of parliament, Mashhadani was one of the top Sunni politicians in the country. His nephew was currently working as the deputy chief of parliament’s research department when arrested.
In the last six months, hundred of Sunnis have been arrested on terrorism charges. Many believe the detentions are a campaign of harassment against Sunnis. Even the top Sunni politician, Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, was targeted. His trial begins tomorrow, even though he is in Turkey.
Meanwhile, at least seven Iraqis were killed and 10 more were wounded. Six visitors from Lebanon were also wounded.
A bomb targeting a bus north or Ramadi killed one soldier and wounded six Lebanese travelers when it was detonated.
A blast in Taji killed two security personnel and wounded at least two more. Three of them were security personnel accompanying a convoy. The fourth one was an explosives expert, who was severely wounded when a second bomb exploded.
A security patrol killed a gunman in Mosul. A former army pilot was shot dead.
The body of a man suspected of being a terrorist was discovered in Jurf al-Sakhar.
In Baghdad, gunmen killed a bodyguard working at Ayad Allawi’s office. A television reporter was wounded when a sticky bomb planted on his car exploded.
Five people were wounded in a double bombing in Bani Saad.
A bomb near Baquba wounded two policemen.
A reporter escaped injury in Tarbiya when the sticky bomb planted on his car fell off instead of exploding.
A woman was liberated in Basra, while her two kidnappers were arrested.
