Mosul Bomber Was Wearing Iraqi Uniform

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The suicide bomber who blew himself up in a U.S. military dining tent this week, killing more than 20 people was wearing an Iraqi military uniform, the U.S. general in charge of the region said Thursday.

"An individual in an Iraqi military uniform, possibly with a vest-worn explosive device, was inside the facility and detonated the facility, causing this tragedy," Brig. Gen. Carter F. Ham -- commander of Task Force Olympia, the main U.S. force in northern Iraq -- told CNN.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-mosul-attack,0,4306324.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

Here's the CNN article, with other quotes from Ham but they don't seem to include this one yet...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- In reaction to the suspected suicide bombing at a base in Iraq, the Pentagon is investigating how U.S. forces check the backgrounds of Iraqis who work at U.S. installations.

Investigators say a suicide bomber was the likely cause of a blast Tuesday at the Camp Marez mess hall that killed 22 people, including 14 American soldiers.

A military spokesman said Iraqi workers have to show identification to gain entry to American facilities -- but they are not always searched, nor are they always escorted once allowed to enter.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/23/iraq.main/index.html

edit- cnn posted this article today, but it's about Wed presser- they seem to be running behind the other rpt of their own q and a.