Bomb kills 20 Shi'ite pilgrims in Iraq, banned Sunni candidates back in election race

The attack was the latest this week by suspected Sunni Islamist insurgents on Shi'ites making a religious trek to the city during a politically charged election period.

But in a move that may ease some sectarian tensions, an appeals panel agreed to allow candidates banned for ties to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party to stand in the poll.

Police and hospital sources said Wednesday's bomb, which was planted in a cart pulled by a motorcycle, wounded up to 110 people in Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad.

(...) Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has made improved security across Iraq a central theme of his campaign for the March 7 parliamentary election and he has called on the security forces to ensure pilgrims heading to Kerbala are protected.

(...) Tensions springing from the violence have been exacerbated by Sunni suspicions that a ban on candidates suspected of links to Saddam's Baath party was an attempt by Iraq's Shi'ite majority to sideline them in the poll.

Electoral officials said an appeal panel that ruled the nearly 500 banned candidates would be allowed to stand after all, potentially defusing the controversy that had threatened to reopen old sectarian wounds.

"The appeals panel decided to allow the banned candidates to participate in the next election and decided to postpone looking into the case until after the election," Hamdiya al-Husseini, a member of the Independent High Electoral Commission, said.

The candidates would not be able to assume office if they won until the panel gives a final ruling, she said.