[01 March 2005] HILLA, Iraq,(Saba) - A suicide bomber has killed at least 125 people when he blew up his car in the middle of a crowd, in the deadliest
single attack since the US-led invasion two years ago.

The bombing presented the boldest challenge yet to Iraq's efforts to build a security force that can take over from the Americans.

Many of those killed were at the market across the road, and were caught in the blast as they shopped in morning sunshine.

Hospital officials upped the death toll to 125 from the carnage in Hilla, a mainly Shiite farming town in central Iraq, some 100 kilometres (65 miles) south of Baghdad, after four of the 133 wounded died of their injuries.

TD

SABA