Naseer Al-Nahr, Asharq Al-Awsat

BAGHDAD, 10 October 2003 — During another day of widespread violence yesterday, suicide bombers killed eight Iraqis in an attack on a Baghdad police station. Elsewhere a Spanish diplomat was gunned down and a US soldier was killed.

In the capital’s bloodiest attack for weeks, two suicide bombers crashed an old American car through police station gates, killing two officers and six civilians and wounding dozens.

At least 38 people injured in the attack in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City. The blast sent bodies flying on to the roof of the police station. One police officer said he found the bearded head of the bomber.

Shock and outrage at the attack swept the Iraqi capital as hospital staff struggled desperately to treat the wounded amid angry weeping relatives.

At the scene furious Iraqis from the nearby market turned on press photographers and reporters.

In a supposedly well-protected upmarket part of the city, Jose Antonio Bernal, an air force sergeant at Spain’s Embassy, was chased from his home by three assailants and gunned down, barefoot and in his underpants.

Northeast of Baghdad, a rocket-propelled grenade hit a convoy and killed a US soldier, the 92nd to die since US President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1.

Unable to restore order and basic services, Washington has appealed for other countries to help with troops and money, but with little luck except for a major Turkish pledge of troops.

There are signs Bush may now abandon efforts for a new UN resolution to secure international help, though diplomats said ally Britain was still pushing for amendments to salvage it.

Amid such uncertainty, German government sources suggested postponing a donors’ conference for Iraq due in Madrid in two weeks, and Russia took a similar tone.

“Iraq needs funds, but only on condition that all political matters are settled,” President Vladimir Putin said.

But European and US officials said it should go ahead even if the United Nations cannot agree over Iraq’s future. “We can’t wait for there to be a perfect peace in Iraq to decide what we’d like to do to help the people of Iraq,” a European Commission spokeswoman said.