The al-Qaida umbrella group in Iraq has claimed responsibility for Sunday'sdouble suicide bombing in Baghdad in which at least 155 people were killed.In a statement posted on a website often used by militants, the Islamic State of Iraq said "martyrs ... targeted the dens of infidelity".
More than 700 people were injured in the attacks, which destroyed the justice ministry and severely damaged the Baghdad governorate and a public works building.
The dead included two dozen children who had been leaving a daycare centre in a bus.
The Islamic State of Iraq also claimed responsibility for an almost identical attack which destroyed the finance and foreign ministries, in roughly the same area of the capital, just over two months ago.
The bombing killedg 132 people and injured just under 500.
The militant group had pledged to wreak further havoc in a bid to destabilise Iraq's fragile government prior to a national election planned for 16 January.
Exposing the vulnerability of institutions has been a stated goal of al-Qaida, which the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has insisted is backed by figures from the Saddam Hussein regime.
Maliki inspected the scene of the attacks late on Sunday and vowed to find the perpetrators, blaming Syrian leaders for harbouring Ba'athists whom he said were directing a subversive campaign.
Iraq and Syria have been at loggerheads since August after Maliki partly blamed the Syrians for facilitating the summer attacks.
The two countries recalled their ambassadors after the row, and Damascus denied playing any role in the attacks.
Source: Haroon Siddique, The Guardian
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