Baghdad’s deadliest attack in seven months

BAGHDAD, 2 February 2008 — Women bombers detonated by remote control killed least 98 people and wounded more than 200 in attacks blamed on Al-Qaeda at two popular Baghdad pet markets yesterday. The attack was considered as the Iraqi capital's deadliest bombings in more than seven months.

"In both bombings, the attackers were mentally disabled women whose explosive belts were remotely detonated", Gen. Qasim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad's security plan, told state television.
"They care nothing for the Iraqi people; they want to subjugate them and forcefully create a greater Islamic sharia state," said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman for the Multi-National Division-Baghdad.

Maj. Gen. Qassim Moussawi, spokesman for the Iraqi military in Baghdad, said the suicide bombs were detonated remotely by mobile telephones. "We found the mobiles used to detonate the women," he said. However, He did not elaborate on how the Iraqi military knew about their mental condition.