Iraqi MP criticises intelligence agency

An Iraqi parliamentarian has criticised the country's intelligence service for failing to curb a growing number of terrorist attacks. Ammar Tema said the Iraqi National Intelligence Service’s ineffectiveness to penetrate extremist cells and groups had allowed radicals to continue targeting innocent civilians.   In a statement, he condemned the brutal crimes, and called on political powers to take responsibility in combating terrorism in the country. Tema said the only way to eradicate the problem was to overcome differences between the different Sunni and Shiite groups, and re-assess the performance of the country's intelligence network. He blamed weakness in the intelligence service for the growing boldness of the insurgents. In May this year, 66 people were killed in a series of car bombs targeting a mainly Shiite area in Baghdad.