Syria denies Iraq claim on Aug. 19 attacks

DAMASCUS, Syria, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The government of Syria flatly rejects the statement from an Iraqi government spokesman regarding a series of deadly blasts in Baghdad last week.

A coordinated series of bombs struck the Iraqi capital Aug. 19, killing more than 100 and injuring thousands in one of the deadliest attacks in Iraq in years.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was quick to blame Baathist supporters of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein for plotting the attacks. Iraqi television during the weekend showed a confession from a man allegedly linked to the ousted Baath Party.

Baghdad and Damascus pulled their respective envoys from their stations as the diplomatic row over the bombings continued. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh on Tuesday called on Damascus to hand over two Baath Party members for their "direct involvement in the terrorist operation."

Damascus, through its official Syrian Arab News Agency, said it had "condemned the terrorist acts (and) absolutely rejects the statements of the Iraqi government's spokesman on Baghdad bloody bombings last Wednesday."

The statement said Damascus "felt grief" over the bombings and reiterated its "support for the security, stability, safety and unity of Iraq."

"But what is regrettable is the hastiness of the Iraqi government to arbitrarily accuse Syria while analysts say the issue was internal, or perhaps foreign political disagreements," the statement continued.

A branch of al-Qaida in Iraq made separate claims of responsibility for the Aug. 19 attacks.