Iraq's state television reported that the Najaf bomber -- identified as Ali Jaafar al-Noamani, a noncommissioned officer with several children -- was posthumously promoted to colonel and awarded two medals by Saddam. His family reportedly was awarded 100 million dinars -- about US$34,000.
Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan indicated the attack was part of a coordinated effort to thwart the invasion and he raised the specter of terrorism on US or British soil. "The day will come when a single martyrdom operation will kill 5,000 enemies," Ramadan said.
"We will use any means to kill our enemy in our land and we will follow the enemy into its land. This is just the beginning," he said.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Richard Myers, in an interview yesterday with the BBC, said the attack was "a reminder that there are some very desperate people out there."
"I would think the toughest fighting is ahead of us," Myers said.
Fighting continued in several areas, notably around the southern cities of Nasiriyah and Basra.
Al-Sahhaf said Iraqi tribesman had shot down an Apache helicopter near Basra.
"They buried the two pilots there," al-Sahhaf said. US Central Command said it had no information of such an incident.
In central Iraq, thousands of US Marines pushed north yesterday in "seek and destroy" missions, trying to clear the route toward Baghdad that they have nicknamed "Ambush Alley."
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