DUBAI, March 2 (AFP) - The group of Al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility Wednesday for a suicide bombing which killed at least seven people outside an army base in western Baghdad, according to an Internet statement.
"A lion from the martyrdom-seeking brigade of the Organization of Al-Qaeda of Jihad in the Land of Two Rivers carried out a heroic operation today against a base of the (national) guard in Al-Muthanna airport, killing tens of them," said the statement, whose authenticity could not be confirmed.
At least seven people were killed and 30 wounded when a car blew up Wednesday outside an army base in the western part of the Iraqi capital, hospital officials said.
The same base was hit a few hours later in a mortar attack that killed one soldier and wounded nine others.
Witnesses said the car bomb attack took place as would-be recruits and soldiers queued up by the entrance to the base at the disused Al-Muthanna airport.
Zarqawi's group has claimed responsibility for scores of deadly attacks in Iraq, including a car bombing Monday that killed 118 people in the town of Hilla, south of the capital.
In December, Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden named the Jordanian-born Zarqawi "emir" of the terror network in Iraq. The United States has placed a 25 million dollar bounty on both men.
03/02/2005 17:24 GMT