UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN KIDNAPPED 16 EMPLOYEES OF A TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE IN THE TOWN OF TAJI, NORTH OF BAGHDAD, WHILE THE IRAQI CAPITAL WAS STRUCK BY THREE SEPARATE BOMB ATTACKS IN ONGOING VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY SUNDAY. SECURITY SOURCES TOLD DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR DPA THAT A GROUP OF ARMED MEN ENTERED THE TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE AT AROUND NOON AND TOOK THE WORKERS OFF TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. TAJI, SOME 25 KILOMETRES NORTH OF BAGHDAD, WAS THE SITE OF A KIDNAPPING ON JUNE 21 WHEN 64 WORKERS OF THE NASR GENERAL COMPANY FOR HEAVY MECHANICAL INDUSTRIES WERE KIDNAPPED BY GUNMEN. LATER, 34 OF THE WORKERS WERE RELEASED, WHILE THE CORPSES OF SEVEN OTHERS WERE FOUND. THE FATE AND WHEREABOUTS OF THE REMAINING 23 MISSING WORKERS REMAINED UNCERTAIN. IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, THE DETONATION OF AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD'S AL-SHORJA MARKET LEFT THREE IRAQIS DEAD AND SEVEN OTHERS WOUNDED ON SUNDAY, SECURITY SOURCES TOLD DPA. THE BLAST ALSO DAMAGED NEARBY STORES, SOME OF THEM CATCHING FIRE, THE SOURCES SAID.
