Suicide bomb kills 5 in Hussein's hometown

(NECN/APTV: Tikrit, Iraq) - Officials on Friday sifted through rubble, investigating the scene of a suicide bombing that killed at least five people on Thursday in Saddam Hussein's hometown. The blast on Thursday in Tikrit killed the chief of riot police Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal, two of his bodyguards and two civilians, police said. The bomber targeted al-Fahal, who had been touring central Tikrit, officials said. The attack prompted security officials to impose a curfew in Tikrit. A hospital official confirmed the casualties. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal's death could embolden al-Qaida loyalists to try to make a return to the area around Saddam Hussein's hometown where he held sway. On Friday, within hours of his killing, dozens of Web sites affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq were already celebrating the death of their long-time nemesis. The attack also stood as a reminder that Iraqi security officials who work closely with American forces remain a prime target for insurgents even as overall violence in Iraq fades.