PROBE, QUESTIONS

Iraq's authorities were investigating on Friday how explosives were smuggled into the parliament building.

Image taken from video footage shows a severed leg at the scene of a suicide bomb blast where three Iraqi lawmakers were killed in Baghdad April 12, 2007. [Reuters]

The explosives would have had to pass through an outer checkpoint manned by US and Iraqi troops and multiple inner checkpoints guarded by security contractors and foreign troops that are part of the US-led coalition.

The review of security procedures will likely look at the special passes given to some VIPs and their bodyguards that allow them to pass into parliament without being searched.

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Entry into the conference centre is restricted to accredited parliamentary staff, lawmakers, security guards and journalists. Access to the cafeteria itself is restricted to lawmakers, police and kitchen staff.

Two Shi'ite lawmakers said the metal detector used at the VIP entrance was working, but a Sunni legislator said when he arrived there was a power cut and bags were being manually searched. A Reuters cameraman said the scanner at a second entrance used by staff and journalists was operating.

Militants have rarely managed to carry out attacks inside the zone, although the sprawling area has come under increasing rocket and mortar attack in recent weeks.

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