Coordinated bombings and shootings across Iraq on Sunday

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked numerous targets across Iraq on Sunday killing over 100 people. The attacks coincided with the sentencing of Vice President al-Hashimi on terrorism charges. He received the death sentence. The two incidents would appear to be connected. Hashimi is a Sunni Muslim politician who has strong links with Sunni political parties in the country. The attacks were in all likelihood committed by al-Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni group, which is attempting to incite sectarian war between Shiites and Sunnis. By attacking during the sentencing it is sending a strong message to the government and raising tensions significantly between Shiites, who were the most frequently targeted on Sunday, and their Sunni brethren.