CNN: Large explosion rocks Baghdad restaurant

[Barrett808]

breaking

Karl Penhaul in Baghdad reports that helicopters are present. Flares have been seen, Penhaul speculates that soldiers may be under fire. Wire reports claim up to 4 dead. Police official says he saw 10 wounded, but there could be "many" more. Several ambulances are carrying away the wounded.

Raw video footage shows several destroyed cars, some small fires burning.

[nayt]

1. heard it live

on fox their baghdad reporter was doing a routine report from their hotel balcony when the explosion was heard in the background. sounded pretty bad.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Link

Blast rips through restaurant in Baghdad; police say there are deaths

12-31) 11:00 PST BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) --

A large explosion ripped through a restaurant in central Baghdad on New Year's Eve, and rescuers were seen pulling people from the building. Witnesses said the blast was caused by a car bomb, and that some people were killed.

Several cars outside the restaurant were wrecked and in flames, and Iraqis with hoses tried to put out the blaze. A large crater was visible on a sidestreet next to the restaurant as ambulances converged on the scene.

The restaurant, called Nabil, had advertised a New Year's Eve party, including live music and bellydancing.

Hathem Malik, a police officer at the scene, said there were deaths.

(a little) more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/12/31/international1352EST0550.DTL

[peterh]

3. *DJ Five Dead In Iraqi Restaurant Blast -Iraqi Police

.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. ABC link

Bomb at Baghdad Restaurant Kills at Least 4

Dec. 31 — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suspected suicide bomb tore apart a Baghdad restaurant crowded with New Year revelers on Wednesday, killing at least four people, Iraqi police and witnesses said.
Reuters correspondents at the scene said the front of the Nabil restaurant in the Arasat district of Baghdad had been destroyed and the building was in flames. Witnesses said at least 30 people had been inside when the bomb went off.

more...
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20031231_272.html

[peterh]

5. Additional info.....

DJ Five Dead/Iraqi/Blast -2: Ran Ad For New Year's Eve Party


BAGHDAD (AP)--A large explosion ripped through a restaurant in central Baghdad
on New Year's Eve, killing five people, the city police chief said.
Rescuers were seen pulling people from the building. Witnesses said the blast
was caused by a car bomb.
Five people died, according to Lt. General Ahmed Kadhem, deputy Iraqi interior
minister and Baghdad chief of police.
Sirens wailing, ambulances converged on the area near the former U.S. Embassy.
The restaurant is called Nabil, and had advertised a New Year's Eve party,
including live music and bellydancing. Several cars outside the restaurant were
wrecked and in flames.
Video from the scene aired on U.S. television showed flames and destruction in
the street, in the Karrada district. Several cars outside the restaurant were
wrecked and in flames.
Gunfire was heard after the explosion. U.S. soldiers were seen heading to the
site of the blast, and U.S. military helicopters hovered overhead.
Firefighters trained hoses on the flames. A large crater was visible on a
sidestreet next to the restaurant, which is on the corner of a city block.
U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police had stepped up security in Baghdad on
Wednesday, erecting more razor wire and checkpoints in key areas. Military
officials have reported the possibility of attacks by insurgents over the
holiday period.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
12-31-03 1409ET(AP-DJ-12-31-03 1909GMT)

[54anickel]

6. Guess Baghdad didn't get the memo -

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=431079§ion=news

Unprecedented security for New Year

LONDON (Reuters) - Fears of terrorist attack have cast a shadow over New Year celebrations around the globe........

[xchrom]

7. happy new year george

that blood is on your hands.

[KoKo]

8. Ah yes......we're so much safer since Saddam was captured.....Iraqi people

have been released from their "burden of fear" while our Coalition forces occupy the Palace Compounds which Saddam used to isolate himself in safter from the "People."

So, much has changed since we "Liberated the Iraqi's." The world is on Terror Alerts, and the "People" are warned about traveling and attending New Year's celebrations.

And, the PNAC'ers vision of the New World Order stands unchallenged.

[underpants]

9. How is Saddam still able to coordinate these attacks?

I don't understand :think:

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Good question, Underpants!

Have been wondering the same thing. Could it be that the "insurgents" responsible are actually being coordinated by independent Iraqis?...other countries which have a stake in undermining the BushCo Regime?

Will we ever really know? Or will only those in 100 years be told or be able (or allowed) to reveal the facts?

[underpants]

13. I was being satirical but still

Ironictimes.com had a funny thing about how the US won the war in Iraq three times this year (statue/"mission accomplished"/capturing Saddam) but it just didn't feel like it.

[TacticalPeek]

15. Tiny microdots in his hair, beard and teeth?

:silly:

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. I bet George and Laura

are too busy celebrating the end of another fabulous year to even bother to notice.

[Barrett808]

12. New report: restaurant building collapsed, burying people...

...in burning wreckage. This establishment was apparently popular with journalists and "foreigners."

[underpants]

14. Hmm that sounds almost.....

Vietnamesque

at least what I have seen in movies.

[saigon68]

16. IT DID HAPPEN

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Friday June 25, 1965

http://phulam.com/mycanh.htm

29 Are Killed as Terrorists Bomb Saigon Restaurant-
8 Americans Among Dead - 100 Wounded -

Terrorist bombs shattered a floating restaurant on the Saigon river here tonight and killed at least 29 persons, including eight Americans
Two big explosions sounded almost simultaneously from the river bank.
Witnesses said they believed that as many as 50 persons may have died in the crowded restaurant, the My Canh, and on the riverside boulevard nearby.

Police said that 17 of the dead were Caucasians, and presumably most of these were Americans. Of six Viet Namese dead in the initial count, most were women. A United States military spokesman said the dead included five U.S. servicemen and three American Civilians. He said 30 persons injured were targeted at American installations. One hundred or more persons were wounded…

The explosions at the My Canh occurred at 8:15 p.m. (7:15 a.m. St Louis time). One was caused by a powerful shaped charge - possibly an American-made Claymore electric mine - planted in the bank of the river. The Claymore explodes in the direction it is pointed.
The restaurant which is moored about 25 feet from the bank, has an entry over a gang-plank leading from the waterfront street. It is patronized mostly by Americans and wealthy Viet Namese.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. A bunch of folks from the LA Times

are among the injured.

Let's see how the press reacts now that its other journalists who are among the casualties?