Iraq's caretaker prime minister said kidnappings of a group of Muslims in a town near Baghdad was part of a plan to spread sectarian strife. "Unfortunately, evil powers are trying to disturb the peace of our country, stop progress, destroy Iraq, keep killing innocent civilians and planning for the start of ethnic, sectarian and religious division," Iyad Allawi said in a statement. He said some people were trying to implement "wicked plans of extremist terror" and urged Iraqis to remain calm.
