By Maj. Russell Goemaere, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

BAGHDAD, July 17, 2005 – In what military officials are calling "a new level of barbarity," terrorists tortured and killed two innocent Iraqi civilians and laid their bodies in the road as bait for curious Iraqi civilians and investigating Iraqi security forces before detonating a car bomb at 8 a.m. this morning.

The attack, in the New Baghdad district of the capital, killed one Iraqi police officer, along with the terrorist who drove the vehicle. Five civilians and three other Iraqi police officers were wounded.

The bodies were discovered lying in the middle of the road. When Iraqi security forces and a crowd of civilians gathered near the scene, a terrorist drove his car bomb into the group and detonated it.

"The (Iraqi security forces) will not be intimidated by this type of action. We will continue to take the fight to the Godless terrorists," one Iraqi police officer said.

Iraqi forces secured the scene, and all casualties were quickly evacuated to a local hospital. The incident is under investigation, officials said.

The previous day, Iraqi security forces stopped a suicide bomber before he could detonate his suicide vest at the funeral for young victims of the July 13 car bombing, which claimed the lives of two dozen Iraqi children. The terrorist is now in custody at an undisclosed location.

"The terrorists are offering nothing for the future of Iraq. They offer only death to innocent Iraqi people. The people are with us, they support the (police) and the Iraqi army," the police officer said.

(Army Maj. Russell Goemaere is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team.)

Related Site:Multinational Force Iraq

article published at Defend America