BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber killed seven Iraqis and wounded 11 others, including a member of Parliament, close to an entrance to Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone yesterday, where several Western embassies are located, police sources said.

The attack was close to the July 14th suspension bridge which leads into the central area, known officially as the International Zone, which houses diplomatic missions including the US Embassy.

“I was on my way to enter the Green Zone when the blast happened. I was wounded in my shoulder and I’m in hospital now,” Habib Al-Turfi, a Shiite member of Parliament, said.

Two of the seven killed were soldiers, the sources said. “Cars were lining up waiting to be searched at the checkpoint that leads to the Green Zone and suddenly a speeding car exploded nearby,” said one police source whose patrol was stationed near the scene of the attack. “Some people died inside cars and I saw two soldiers lying on the ground. We immediately closed the area,” said the source, who refused to be named. “It’s a suicide attack with clear fingerprints of Al-Qaeda terrorist groups,” a security official said.

Iraqi security officials said that despite stepping up security measures inside and around Baghdad, militants linked to Al-Qaeda are still launching bold attacks.

“We regrettably admit Al-Qaeda terrorists are still operating actively. They still receive huge funds and they keep changing their tactics,” said a senior Interior Ministry official on condition of anonymity.

“This attack is seen as a political challenge to the state authority and its reputation. It’s an important Green Zone gate which the prime minister, top officials and lawmakers use,” Ali Al-Haidari, an Iraqi security expert, said.

“The reason why Al-Qaeda is still active, despite the killings and the detentions of its elements, is because its cells are renewable, and the financing and support, from inside and outside, is still going on,” Haidari said.