Baghdad–Authorities in Baghdad say at least six people were killed early today when a suicide bomber driving a minibus blew himself up in front of the office of a popular Arabic language satellite news channel.
An Iraqi military spokesman says the bomber apparently was waved through a checkpoint at Al-Arabiya television after security guards checked his identification. He says Iraqi officials had previously found al-Qaida documents indicating the militant group planned to target Arabic news channels in the country and the channel had been told.
The spokesman says killed were three guards, a driver, a passer-by and a cleaning person, in addition to the 16 people wounded.
An Al-Arabiya correspondent says the blast left a massive crater.
Al-Arabiya is one of the most popular Arabic news stations, but has been viewed by militants in Iraq as too pro-Western.