Iraq robbery, attacks kill 14

Attacks against al-Qaeda's favourite targets in Iraq killed 14 people yesterday as insurgents struck security forces, a government office and jewellery stores, demonstrating a continued threat from armed groups as the country prepares to host a meeting of the Arab world's top leaders.
Security officials expect al-Qaeda to ramp up violence over the next few weeks as Baghdad prepares to host the annual Arab League summit at the end of the month.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday's strikes, and numerous armed groups in Iraq have mixed attacks on political targets with money-making criminal operations. But al-Qaeda in Iraq for years has been believed to fund itself in part with cash and gold stolen from jewellery stores.