IRAQ: Suicide bombers and looters brought a swift end to celebrations in Iraq yesterday, writes Jack Fairweather in Baghdad
Two car bombs exploded at police facilities in and around Baghdad, killing eight and wounding 27, just a day after Iraqis had danced on the streets and fired victory salutes until the early hours of the morning.
At Husseiniya police station, 18 miles to the north of the capital, a taxi packed with explosives bundled through minimal defences before exploding in the station's forecourt.
The blast left an eight-foot crater, several twisted vehicle wrecks, and the bomber's leg was hanging out of a shattered window at the station where the force of the explosion had hurled it. "I couldn't shoot in time to stop the bomber and now all my men are dead," said Lt Ishmael Allah (25), who was standing guard outside and was injured by flying metal.
Soon after, another potential attacker abandoned a vehicle packed with explosives after he came under fire from US troops arriving on the scene.
"Everything is now under control," said police chief Mr Ali Amar after the Americans had left, although he promptly had to run for cover as looters, said to be armed, arrived on the scene.
The looting only stopped when Iraqi police regrouped and began firing at the thieves as they ran away with kitchen sinks and light fittings.
By Iraq's brutal standards the violence was low-key.
On Sunday, 17 Iraqis were killed in an explosion outside a police station in Khaldiyah, 35 miles west of Baghdad - the largest single attack on Iraqi police in the country.
Scores of Iraqis have been killed or injured in bomb attacks targeting police stations and those co-operating with Coalition forces. But many Iraqis had hoped the violence would end after Saddam's capture, sentiments echoed by US Ambassador Paul Bremer on Sunday when he called on the former president's supporters to lay down their arms.
American commanders have also said they thought Saddam was at the heart of anti-Coalition attacks.
Instead the latest deaths brought a sobering air, with Iraqis fearful attacks would escalate as terrorist groups not allied to Saddam renew their attacks without the threat of the tyrant's return.
Mr Mathan Abbas, a construction worker, described how, like the rest of the country, Husseiniya residents had celebrated at news of Saddam's arrest.
"We believed there would be no more explosions and so we shot our guns into the air.
"Today I regret being so happy," said Mr Abbas, whose brother was killed in the blast.
Mr Mawfak Hadi (45), whose house was opposite the bombed-out police headquarters, said: "The Americans have a lot of enemies.
"There are many terrorists for whom Saddam means nothing."