Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan strongly condemned in Beijing Saturday the car bombing at the Imam Ali mosque of Iraq's holy city of Najaf.

Kong made the remarks when asked to comment on the attack Friday that killed more than 100 people including Shiite leader Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim.

China strongly condemned the terrorist attack and expressed sympathy to the families of the killed and injured, Kong said.

He said the Chinese government was concerned at the recent terrorist attacks in Iraq which had killed many innocent civilians.

"We hope that situation in Iraq can be stabilized soon, so that the Iraqi people can enjoy peaceful lives," he said.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2003)