Baghdad: A suicide car bomb attack on a recruiting centre for the New Iraqi Army in Southeastern Baghdad today (Feb 11, 2004) killed 36 Iraqis who had been queuing up to join the fledgling force, the US military said in a new death toll.

Major David Gercken of the US 1st Armoured Division, whose troops were sent to the site of the blast in the Southeast of the city, earlier said up to 16 people were injured in the blast at around 7:25 hrs (9.00 hrs IST).

US Colonel Ralph Baker said from the scene that a car, which was loaded with 300-500 pounds of explosives, had been driven up to the recruiting centre by a single male.

"It was a suicide attack," he said.