'Bomb factory' caused Iraq blast

One of the dead is buried in Falluja

A fatal explosion at a mosque in the Iraqi town of Falluja was caused by a bomb-making class, the US military has said.

Local residents have blamed the blast, which killed nine people, on a US missile attack, saying aircraft had been heard overhead just beforehand.

The US denies this version of events, saying investigations by the military and the Falluja police had exonerated US military forces of any involvement.

The flashpoint town, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, has been the scene of regular attacks on US troops since clashes with the local population in April in which the Americans killed at least 15 people.

In Baghdad, one of the six American soldiers wounded in ambushes in and around the city on Tuesday has died of his injuries.

Hostile

"The explosion was apparently related to a bomb manufacturing class that was being taught inside the mosque," US Central Command said in a statement.

But local residents are dismissive of the US denials and hostility against the occupying forces is running high.

"No-one here in Falluja likes to see Americans here, and this means all Iraq, not just Falluja," one villager told a BBC correspondent.

"If we have any time, we'll kill all Americans. Tell this to all the West."

Residents say the Americans launched an air strike against 10 theological students and their imam, or prayer leader, in the middle of a class.

The imam, who was badly wounded in the explosion, later died along with some of his students.