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U.S. blames bomb-makers for mosque blastMarine, soldier are latest casualties
(CNN) -- U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that the explosion that destroyed a building in the compound of a Fallujah mosque early Tuesday was "apparently related to a bomb-manufacturing class that was being taught inside the mosque" -- and did not involve U.S. forces. Witnesses said the explosion killed at least six people and wounded others. Some witnesses said that the mosque was attacked by coalition forces. At least one said he heard a helicopter overhead before the blast. "An investigation conducted by coalition forces and Fallujah police into the explosion at the Al Hasan Mosque has determined that coalition forces were in no way responsible for the explosion," a Central Command statement said. Central Command said forces will be "respectful of Muslim tradition by not entering the mosque, while continuing to assist Iraqi police with the investigation." Fallujah has been a center of resistance to the U.S. military occupation in Iraq. Central Command did not say who was believed to have been teaching the alleged bomb-making class. In other news, a mine-clearing incident killed one U.S. Marine and injured three others Wednesday, and a U.S. soldier died of his wounds suffered in an attack the day before in Baghdad. The Marines' casualties occurred while they were clearing mines in Karbala, about 35 miles south of Baghdad, U.S. military officials said. An Iraqi fire department technician was also wounded, U.S. Central Command officials said. The Marines were part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Their identities were not immediately released. The soldier died of his wounds Wednesday, a day after Iraqi insurgents attacked his military vehicle in one of several attacks against American targets in Baghdad. The soldier was a member of the 352nd Civil Affairs Command, according to U.S. military officials. His vehicle was struck on Highway 8, which connects Baghdad to the airport west of the city, officials said. The soldier's name has not been released pending notification of next of kin. An Iraqi interpreter was also killed and five U.S. troops were wounded in Tuesday's attacks. Wednesday's deaths brings the total number of Americans killed in Iraq to 67 since President Bush declared an end to major combat there May 1. The military considers 26 of those deaths the result of hostile fire. Coalition forces have struggled to restore order in Iraq since ousting Saddam Hussein in April. Remnants of Saddam's Baath party and other groups are blamed for attacks on coalition forces. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who was in Baghdad and Basra Wednesday, said troops would not be driven out of the country and said reconstruction would continue despite the attacks. "We will be staying in Iraq for as long as it takes to support the Iraqi people, to establish representative government, and to establish decent social and economic services for the Iraqi people," Straw told the Press Association. Straw, who met with British military commanders in Iraq, said: "What they are leading to is an increased determination by the coalition forces to deal with the remnants of the Baathist movement in Iraq." (Full story) In Washington, President Bush on Wednesday vowed that attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq will not shake his administration's resolve to stay in that country until a strong and stable democratic government takes root. "Anybody who wants to harm American troops will be found and brought to justice," Bush said. "There are some that feel like if they attack us that we may decide to leave prematurely. They don't understand what they are talking about if that is the case. Let me finish. There are some who feel like the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring them on." (Full story) Other developments:
• The bodies of six British Royal Military Police soldiers, who were killed last week by a crowd in southern Iraq were flown back to Britain Wednesday. • Central Command said Wednesday that the 4th Infantry Division conducted five raids in Operation Sidewinder, which began last weekend, detaining three people and confiscating 28 hand grenades, three AK-47s, five mortar fuses, and one crate of rocket-propelled grenades. In a statement, Central Command said that 20 "high-value targeted individuals" have been detained in the operation. • Pentagon officials confirmed Tuesday that two U.S. soldiers whose remains were recovered Saturday had been shot. The officials did not say whether the wounds caused their deaths. No other information was released about their capture or treatment. (Families' comments) After an exhaustive search, Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe, 37, of Linden, New Jersey, and Pfc. Kevin Ott, 27, of Columbus, Ohio, were found dead about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad, Central Command said. CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf and Correspondent Barbara Starr contributed to this report. Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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