World Jun. 25, 2008 - 05:32AM JST ( 10 )

BAGHDAD —

A massive bomb ripped through a municipal office in Baghdad’s Shiite bastion of Sadr City on Tuesday, killing four Americans, an Italian and six Iraqis, officials said.

The devastating attack which the U.S. military blamed on Shiite extremists occurred mid-morning shortly before district council elections were to take place, an Iraqi security official said.

One U.S. soldier, three members of the district council and seven other Iraqis were wounded in the blast, which caused large destruction in the building, U.S. military and Iraqi security officials said.

The American military said it detained a suspect soon after the attack.

“The individual was caught by coalition forces fleeing the scene and tested positive for explosive residue,” a military statement said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Berlin that the incident was “a terrible reminder of the dangers” faced by Americans working in Iraq.

U.S. ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker in a statement said one American employee Steven Farley of the State Department who was involved in reconstruction work in Sadr City was killed along with two civilian employees of the Defense Department.

The Defense Department employees were an American national and an Italian citizen of Iraqi origin, U.S. embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said.

They all were attached to the American mission in Baghdad.

The U.S. military said two of its soldiers were killed in the blast and charged that the attack was carried out by Special Groups extremists.

According to the military, Special Groups militants are trained, funded and armed by groups linked to Iran.

The blast occurred at about 9:30 a.m. in the southern section of Sadr City, a stronghold of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia.

It took place when U.S. officials and soldiers had arrived “to supervise the process of elections as the council was to elect some new members today,” a council member said.

“We were to elect new members to replace some of our old colleagues from the movement of Moqtada al-Sadr who recently left the council,” he said on condition of anonymity.

A police officer from Sadr City, who asked not to be named, said the bomb “must have been planted yesterday (Monday) as the council building had been completely secured since the morning.”

U.S. troops quickly cordoned off the area surrounding the council offices, while Iraqi police sealed all the roads leading to the building.

An army statement, quoting U.S. commander Lieutenant Colonel John Digiambatista said: “This was the fourth meeting of this district council, led by hard working Iraqis determined to make a difference and set Sadr City off on the right path.

“Special Groups are afraid of progress and afraid of empowering the people.”

U.S. military spokesman Major Mark Cheadle said the target of the attack had yet to be determined.

The head of Sadr movement in eastern Baghdad, Sheikh Salman Fraiji, said the bombing was a “conspiracy of those council members who have been with the Americans since our representatives left the council. They want to blame the Sadrists.”

He said Sadr City, the impoverished district of some two million Shiites, used to be “stable and safe until the occupiers arrived two months ago.”

“They come daily to the council and with that have brought trouble to the area. I blame them for all that has happened. This was a well planned act to drive a wedge between the members of the council.”

The latest attack on U.S. nationals comes a day after two American soldiers were killed and three wounded when they were fired on as they were leaving the council office of Madain town located south of Baghdad.

Wire reports