Suicide_NN1 attack_NN1 kills_VVZ 8_MC Shiite_JJ pilgrims_NN2 in_II Iraq_NP1 BAGHDAD_NP1 (_( AP_NP1 )_) --_NN1 A_ZZ1 suicide_NN1 bomber_NN1 killed_VVD eight_MC Shiite_JJ pilgrims_NN2 and_CC wounded_VVD more_DAR than_CSN 50_MC others_NN2 Thursday_NPD1 ,_, a_AT1 police_NN2 official_NN1 said_VVD ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ the_AT second_MD deadly_JJ attack_NN1 on_II pilgrims_NN2 in_II as_RG many_DA2 days_NNT2 ._. 
The_AT suicide_NN1 bomber_NN1 joined_VVD the_AT procession_NN1 near_II the_AT Imam_NN1 Hussein_NP1 shrine_NN1 in_II the_AT Shiite_JJ holy_JJ city_NN1 of_IO Karbala_NP1 and_CC then_RT detonated_VVD an_AT1 explosive_JJ belt_NN1 filled_VVN with_IW nails_NN2 ,_, the_AT official_NN1 said_VVD ._. 
A_AT1 medical_JJ official_NN1 in_II Karbala_NP1 confirmed_VVD that_CST eight_MC pilgrims_NN2 were_VBDR killed_VVN and_CC 52_MC injured_VVD in_II the_AT attack_NN1 ._. 
Both_DB2 officials_NN2 spoke_VVD on_II condition_NN1 of_IO anonymity_NN1 because_CS they_PPHS2 were_VBDR not_XX authorized_VVN to_TO talk_VVI to_II the_AT news_NN1 media_NN ._. 
On_II Wednesday_NPD1 ,_, bombs_NN2 struck_VVD Shiite_JJ pilgrims_NN2 in_II Baghdad_NP1 ,_, killing_VVG at_RR21 least_RR22 12_MC people_NN and_CC wounding_VVG more_DAR than_CSN 40_MC ._. 
Hundreds_NNO2 of_IO thousands_NNO2 of_IO Shiite_JJ pilgrims_NN2 are_VBR converging_VVG in_II Karbala_NP1 to_TO mark_VVI Monday_NPD1 's_GE end_NN1 of_IO 40_MC days_NNT2 of_IO mourning_VVG that_CST follow_VV0 Ashoura_NP1 ,_, the_AT anniversary_NN1 of_IO the_AT seventh-century_JJ death_NN1 of_IO the_AT prophet_NN1 Mohammed_NP1 's_GE grandson_NN1 Hussein_NP1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 was_VBDZ killed_VVN in_II a_AT1 battle_NN1 for_IF the_AT leadership_NN1 of_IO the_AT nascent_JJ Muslim_JJ nation_NN1 following_II Mohammed_NP1 's_GE death_NN1 in_II 632_MC ._. 
He_PPHS1 's_VBZ revered_VVN by_II Shiites_NN2 because_CS he_PPHS1 is_VBZ the_AT son_NN1 of_IO Ali_NP1 ,_, the_AT man_NN1 they_PPHS2 believe_VV0 should_VM have_VHI been_VBN the_AT direct_JJ successor_NN1 to_II the_AT prophet_NN1 ._. 
Attacks_NN2 by_II Sunni_NN1 and_CC Shiite_JJ extremists_NN2 have_VH0 killed_VVN hundreds_NNO2 of_IO people_NN during_II pilgrimages_NN2 in_II recent_JJ years_NNT2 ._. 
Although_CS violence_NN1 has_VHZ fallen_VVN significantly_RR in_II Iraq_NP1 ,_, extremists_NN2 have_VH0 continued_VVN to_TO target_VVI religious_JJ processions_NN2 ,_, hoping_VVG to_TO trigger_VVI the_AT kind_NN1 of_IO sectarian_JJ violence_NN1 between_II Sunnis_NN2 and_CC Shiites_NN2 that_CST consumed_VVD the_AT country_NN1 in_II 2006_MC and_CC 2007_MC ._. 
The_AT attacks_NN2 occurred_VVD even_CS21 though_CS22 the_AT government_NN1 stationed_JJ tens_MC2 of_IO thousands_NNO2 of_IO Iraqi_JJ security_NN1 forces_NN2 along_II the_AT routes_NN2 leading_VVG to_II Karbala_NP1 ._. 
More_RGR aggressive_JJ government_NN1 security_NN1 efforts_NN2 and_CC the_AT surge_NN1 in_II U.S._NP1 troops_NN2 in_II 2007_MC have_VH0 been_VBN credited_VVN with_IW reducing_VVG violence_NN1 in_II Iraq_NP1 to_II a_AT1 five_MC year_NNT1 low_JJ ._. 
The_AT Iraqi_JJ government_NN1 launched_VVD several_DA2 operations_NN2 against_II Sunni_NN1 and_CC Shiite_JJ extremists_NN2 in_II 2008_MC ,_, significantly_RR weakening_VVG them_PPHO2 ._. 
But_CCB many_DA2 Sunni_NN1 extremists_NN2 are_VBR believed_VVN to_TO have_VHI fled_VVN north_ND1 after_II being_VBG driven_VVN from_II Baghdad_NP1 and_CC central_JJ Iraq_NP1 ,_, increasing_JJ violence_NN1 in_II the_AT city_NN1 of_IO Mosul_NP1 ,_, which_DDQ U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 describe_VV0 as_CSA al-Qaeda_NP1 's_GE last_MD major_JJ urban_JJ stronghold_NN1 in_II the_AT country_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 parked_JJ car_NN1 bomb_NN1 killed_VVD four_MC policemen_NN2 and_CC wounded_VVD three_MC people_NN in_II Mosul_NP1 on_II Thursday_NPD1 ,_, the_AT latest_JJT in_II a_AT1 string_NN1 of_IO recent_JJ attacks_NN2 in_II the_AT city_NN1 ,_, said_VVD a_AT1 police_NN2 official_NN1 ,_, speaking_VVG on_II condition_NN1 of_IO anonymity_NN1 because_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ not_XX authorized_VVN to_TO talk_VVI to_II the_AT news_NN1 media_NN ._. 
The_AT car_NN1 bomb_NN1 targeted_VVD a_AT1 police_NN2 patrol_VV0 in_II eastern_JJ Mosul_NN1 ,_, and_CC the_AT wounded_JJ included_VVD one_MC1 policeman_NN1 and_CC two_MC civilians_NN2 ,_, the_AT official_NN1 said_VVD ._. 
Political_JJ officials_NN2 have_VH0 also_RR been_VBN targeted_VVN in_II Mosul_NP1 ._. 
Three_MC unidentified_JJ gunmen_NN2 killed_VVD a_AT1 local_JJ Sunni_NN1 official_NN1 in_II the_AT city_NN1 on_II Thursday_NPD1 ,_, said_VVD a_AT1 second_NNT1 police_NN2 official_NN1 ,_, also_RR speaking_VVG on_II condition_NN1 of_IO anonymity_NN1 for_IF the_AT same_DA reason_NN1 ._. 
Abdul-Kareem_NP1 Khalaf_NP1 al-Sharabi_NN1 ,_, deputy_NN1 chief_NN1 of_IO the_AT National_JJ Dialogue_NN1 Front_NN1 in_II Mosul_NP1 ,_, was_VBDZ gunned_VVN down_RP near_II his_APPGE house_NN1 in_II western_JJ Mosul_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Periodic_JJ attacks_NN2 have_VH0 continued_VVN in_II other_JJ areas_NN2 of_IO Iraq_NP1 as_RR21 well_RR22 ._. 
Two_MC bombs_NN2 hidden_VVN in_II garbage_NN1 cans_NN2 in_II the_AT central_JJ Iraqi_JJ city_NN1 of_IO Baqouba_NP1 exploded_VVD almost_RR simultaneously_RR Thursday_NPD1 ,_, wounding_VVG three_MC people_NN ,_, a_AT1 police_NN2 official_NN1 said_VVD ._. 
A_AT1 third_MD bomb_NN1 was_VBDZ defused_VVN in_II the_AT same_DA area_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, speaking_VVG on_II condition_NN1 of_IO anonymity_NN1 because_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ not_XX authorized_VVN to_TO talk_VVI to_II the_AT news_NN1 media_NN ._. 
Also_RR Thursday_NPD1 ,_, a_AT1 top_JJ Iraqi_JJ official_NN1 confirmed_VVD that_CST Iraq_NP1 is_VBZ holding_VVG four_MC former_DA detainees_NN2 from_II the_AT Guantanamo_NN1 detention_NN1 facility_NN1 to_TO see_VVI whether_CSW they_PPHS2 pose_VV0 a_AT1 threat_NN1 ._. 
Acting_JJ Justice_NN1 Minister_NN1 Safaaulddin_NN1 al-Safi_NN1 told_VVD The_AT Associated_JJ Press_NN1 that_CST a_AT1 judge_NN1 has_VHZ approved_VVN their_APPGE continued_JJ detention_NN1 for_IF two_MC weeks_NNT2 while_CS authorities_NN2 interrogate_VV0 and_CC investigate_VV0 them_PPHO2 ._. 
The_AT four_MC were_VBDR arrested_VVN in_II Afghanistan_NP1 and_CC held_VVN at_II Guantanamo_NP1 before_II being_VBG handed_VVN over_RP to_II the_AT Iraqis_NN1 last_MD month_NNT1 ._. 
Al-Safi_NN1 said_VVD the_AT four_MC were_VBDR not_XX wanted_VVN for_IF crimes_NN2 in_II Iraq_NP1 ,_, but_CCB authorities_NN2 want_VV0 to_TO make_VVI sure_JJ they_PPHS2 pose_VV0 no_AT threat_NN1 if_CS set_VVN free_JJ ._. 
President_NNB Obama_NP1 has_VHZ ordered_VVN the_AT detention_NN1 center_NN1 in_II Cuba_NP1 to_TO be_VBI closed_VVN within_II a_AT1 year_NNT1 as_II part_NN1 of_IO his_APPGE overhaul_NN1 of_IO U.S._NP1 national_JJ security_NN1 policy_NN1 ._. 
