Terror group responsible for Wednesday's attacks in Baghdad arrested

BAGHDAD, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- A terror group responsible for Wednesday's deadly attacks against Iraqi ministries in Baghdad was arrested, Baghdad Operation Command said.

Major general Qassim Atta, spokesman of the Baghdad Operation Command said at Iraqia TV that, after several hours of raid, they have arrested a terrorist group responsible for the truck attacks against Iraq Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday, which has claimed casualties nearly 1,300 people.

A general view of the site of a truck bomb attack outside the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad, August 19, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Atta said, the terror group was linked to the former Ba'ath party, and they planned and carried out the two deadly attacks.

He didn't say how many were arrested, but confirmed that the group under arrest would be shown on TV in a few hours.

Qassim Atta said that casualties of Wednesday's attacks had increased to 87 killed and 1,203 people wounded, most of whom had already recovered from hospitals, only more than 100 injured were still under treatment.

Interior Ministry sources previously told Xinhua, on condition of anonymity that the blasts killed 95 people and wounded 563 others.

Atta also confirmed that the first suicide truck bomber which drove to the Ministry of Finance carried 1.5 ton explosives, and the other, against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, carried 2 tons of explosives.

Interior Ministry has yet to release the number of casualties of government officials from the blasts, but a Foreign Ministry staff told Xinhua anonymously that at least 25 were killed and 100wounded in the ministry.

Wednesday's twin suicide truck attacks against governmental targets, unexpected and the most fatal in nearly 18 months, graved fears that a resurge of deadly violence in the run-up of the coming national elections early next year. People also questioned whether Iraqi security force could shoulder responsibilities without American soldiers' assistance.

Security measures have been upgraded throughout Baghdad, especially for more protections during the coming fast month of Ramadan.