Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A car bomb went off in central Baghdad on Wednesday, killing a civilian and wounding three others, a well-informed police source said.

    "A booby-trapped car detonated shortly before midday at a crowded area of Alawi district where several major parking lots located, killing a civilian and injuring three others," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

    The blast damaged several nearby civilian cars and stalls, the source said.

    The Iraqi security forces immediately cordoned off the scene to secure the area, while ambulances transported the victims to nearby hospitals, he added.

    Violence continues in Baghdad despite the fact that the U.S.and Iraqi security forces have staged a security plan in the capital since Feb. 14 aimed at putting rampant violence under control.