12 February 2004	Thursday	20 Zilhaj 1424

BAGHDAD, Feb 11: A suicide car bomb exploded at an Iraqi army recruitment centre in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing 47 people and taking the 24-hour death toll in attacks against Iraqis working with the US occupation up to 100.

"It was a suicide attack by a single male," US Col Ralph Baker told Reuters at the scene. "It was aimed strictly at Iraqis," he said, adding that the car had been laden with 300-500 pounds of plastic explosives mixed with artillery shells to maximise the "kill effect".

Major John Frisbie said the death toll was at least 36, including the bomber, with 15 more wounded, but hospitals later said they had received 44 dead and 55 wounded. Three of the injured later died from their wounds.

Around 53 people were killed on Tuesday in a similar attack on Iraqis outside a police station south of Baghdad. The police force and new army are central to Washington's plan to hand over power to Iraqis by June 30. Most of Wednesday's victims were newly recruited soldiers reporting for duty.

The US military said Wednesday's attack came at around 7:40am when a car drove into the Iraqi army facility in central Baghdad and exploded. "We were standing in line waiting to start our shift in the new army and we saw a white car drive by us and then blow up. Many died. There were about 400 people in line," said Ghassan Samir, one of the wounded taken to Yarmouk hospital.

US troops cordoned off the area known as Muthana Airport, a long-disused facility recently taken over by the new Iraqi army. Heavy rain and wind buffeted emergency workers, investigators and soldiers as they did the grim work of cleaning up and documenting the scene.

TARGETED ATTACKS: The latest attacks follow a pattern of targeting Iraqis seen as collaborating with the US occupation. Twin suicide bombings in northern Iraq against two Kurdish parties allied with the United States killed more than 100 people on Feb 1.

Tuesday's suicide car bomb exploded among civilians queuing outside a police station in the town of Iskandariya, 40 km south of the capital, to apply for jobs. -Reuters