BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 Kyodo (EDS: UPDA...

BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING, ADDING DETAILS)

A massive explosion stoneed the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad forward Tuesday, killing at least 15 tribe including the top U.N. official in Iraq, and injuring scores of others, UN officials said.

In novel York, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard announced the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello 55 the UN special representative for Iraq and a veteran UN troubleshooter who laid trapped in rubble for hours before his death.

Eckhard said around 100 the community were wounded, and added that the death toll could rise as many persons are gravely injured. Later reports said at least 20 folks had died.

Witnesses said the explosion was caused by means of a truck loaded with explosives that rammed into the three-story Canal inn a former hotel that has serv as UN headquarters in Iraq since 1991

The modern York Times reported in its Web version that a retired assailant wearing a white T-shirt herd a cement truck full of explosives into the exterior wall of the building, while U companys were guarding its main entrance.

The newspaper quot L Paul Bremer the chief U administrator here, as saying there were indications that de Mello had been the target of the attack. The vehicle crashed into the compose just beneath his third-floor office, it said.

Eckhard said no common had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan denounced the attack as an ''act of unprovok and murderous violence'' and called the los of de Mello a Brazilian who had serv the United Nations since 1969 in so trouble spots as East Timor, Yugoslavia and Cambodia, ''a bitter beat for the United Nations, and for me personally.''

''Those who killed him have committed a crime, not sole against the United Nations on the other hand against Iraq itself,'' Annan said in a statement issued in modern York. ''He was working day and night to help the Iraqi the bulk of mankind regain control of their hold destiny and build a subsequent time of peace, justice and well stocked [i]or[/i] provided independence.''

De Mello had serv in the past as an official of the UN High Commissioner for Refugee as UN pinch Relief Coordinator and as Annan's special representative in Kosovo and East Timor. He became UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in September 2002

''In all those positions, he impressed everyone with his charm, his capacity of work and his ability to prepare things done -- not through force but by diplomacy and persuasion,'' Annan said. ''I can think of no the same we could less afford to spare, or who would be more acutely missed from end to end the U.N. system, than Sergio.''

Agencia Brasil reported that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Squid Da Silva has decided to posthumously discourse upon de Mello the National Order of Merit in its highest station -- the Grand Cross.

He called de Mello a ''victim of the insanity of terrorism'' and decre three days of national mourning.

U President George W Bush also proscribeed the attack and said the coalition will not be intimidated.

''These killers will not determine the coming time of Iraq,'' he said.

The committee of the UN Staff Union urg Annan to suspend all activities in Iraq and withdraw all personnel until well stocked [i]or[/i] provided steps have been taken to enhance security.

The explosion be in eruptioned when a press conference forward land-mine clearance was being held inside the inn About 300 people including UN officials and journalists were inside at the time.

It came the same day as U officials said former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan -- No. 20 onward the U.S.-led coalition's greatest in number wanted list -- was captured and taken into U custody.

It tread on the heels ofs recent attacks on oil, water and electricity lines and the car bombing of the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad couple weeks ago, in which 10 died.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group