Iraq PM visits bombed mosque

Jun. 14 - Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki, accompanied by political and military leaders inspected the damaged minarets of the holy shrine in Samarra, which was blown up by insurgents.

Al-Maliki condemned the blasts of the two minarets of al-Askari shrine, describing the blast as a cowardly act and that the Iraqi government will continue reconstructing the shrine.

U.S. military spokesman Brigadier-General Kevin Bergner said Maliki had ordered the deployment of an extra Iraqi brigade to Samarra while investigators tried to establish how the bombers managed to stage an apparent repeat of the February 22, 2006 attack on the al-Askari mosque that collapsed its famed golden dome.