Monday, February 13 2006 15:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Baghdad: A suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt today (Feb 13,2006) in a line of people waiting to receive Government payments, killing at least eight other people and wounding about 30, including children, police and hospital officials said.

Eight more died in attacks elsewhere, including five members of a Shiite religious party gunned down in Baqouba and three policemen who died in separate incidents in Baghdad and Iskandariyah.

The suicide attack occurred in the mostly Shiite eastern district of New Baghdad at 9:40 AM as people lined up at a bank to receive government checks in compensation for food rations which were incomplete in the last few months.

Police Lt Ali Abbas said the attacker joined the line and blew himself up while security guards were searching people before allowing them to enter the bank.

The wounded included three children and nine women, he said.Eight other people were killed and at least 30 wounded, said Lt.

Ali Mittab and Raid Jabbar, a medic at the Kindi Hospital where the victims were taken.

Elsewhere, gunmen killed three brothers and two of their sons in an attack on a street in Baqouba, 60 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, Diyala police's Joint Coordination Center said.