MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Luiza Oleszczuk – “The Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Matthew in Baghdad was one of the targets in a string of bombings Tuesday, as Iraqi extremists conducted a series of attacks in several cities and towns across the country that killed at least 52 people in total.

Over 30 bombs were detonated and wounded an estimated 250 people. The attacks are believed to be a challenge extremists wanted to throw at security forces on the ninth anniversary of U.S. invasion of the country on March 20, 2003.

The deadliest incident occurred in the southern city of Kerbala, a city Shi’ite Muslims consider sacred, where two car bombs killed 13 people and wounded 48 during the morning rush hour, according to media reports. Other targeted areas included Baiji, Baquba, Daquq, Dibis, Dhuluiya, Kirkuk, Mosul, Samarra, Tuz Khurmato, Khalis and Dujail to the north of Baghdad, Falluja and Ramadi to the west, and Hilla, Latifiya, Mahmudiya and Mussayab to the south. Police reportedly defused bombs in Baquba, Falluja and Mosul. Experts called the day of the blasts Iraq’s bloodiest in nearly a month.

The bombing of St. Matthew church in Baghdad reportedly caused the death of two guards and wounded five other people. Officials have yet to confirm if the building was specifically targeted by terrorists because it is a Christian place of worship, or for other reasons.

The attacks were successful despite a massive security clampdown ahead of next week’s Arab League summit in Baghdad, local sources said.

‘The goal of today’s attacks was to present a negative image of the security situation in Iraq,’ government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters.” Read more.

Gunmen storm Baghdad church and kill guards – “Four unidentified gunmen stormed a church in the Mansour district, western Baghdad, today killing three security guards, said a security source. The church’s fourth guard was able to escape the assault. The gunmen fled after the attack. Al-Qaeda announced previously its responsibility for storming the Sayyida al-Najat church on October 31 last year and detaining a number of hostages in the incident. Ten of civilians were killed in the attack.” Source – Kurdistan News Agency.