Tension and fear follow Iraq bomb

By Stephen Sackur BBC correspondent in Iskandariya, Iraq

Life has become increasingly dangerous for those seen to be working with or in any way co-operating with the Americans.

Most of those killed in the car bomb attack in Iskandariya were queuing up for jobs outside the local police stations. Others were simply unlucky passers-by.

Dozens of people were badly wounded in the blast

This mainly Shia Muslim town used to be relatively friendly turf for the Americans.

But that has all changed. There is a great deal of anti-American feeling on the streets here and a great deal of tension.

The Americans were earlier threatening to shoot people unless they moved back. Many of the local people have been chanting anti-American slogans. Some Iraqis even claimed the blast was caused by the Americans.

Talking to local people they described the force of the explosion. They all rushed down here to see what was happening.

One local man told me that on Monday, people were told that if they were interested in jobs with the local Iraqi police force they should turn up at 0900 this morning at the police station, where applications would be received for jobs.

It seems that either by coincidence or design the bomb went off at precisely the time that local people were gathering to apply for those jobs.

The local police chief came away from the scene and had a quick word with me.

When I asked him who he believed was responsible he used one simple word: "Terrorists."

He told me the vehicle used in the attack was known to have belonged to members of Saddam Hussein's old intelligence agency.

The Iraqi police are paying a very heavy price for their involvement with the Americans.