BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – A suicide bomber walked calmly into a popular Baghdad kebab restaurant at lunchtime yesterday and killed at least 23 people waiting for plates of lamb and rice – the capital’s deadliest attack in just over six weeks.

It was the bloodiest bombing in a day that saw at least 46 people killed in a series of insurgent attacks nationwide as militants struck back against twin US- Iraqi offensives against their smuggling routes and training centers.

The attacks came as the American military announced the death of the first US Marine since Operations Spear and Dagger began Friday and Saturday in the restive Anbar province with about 1,000 US forces and Iraqi soldiers in each.

US Marines also killed 15 insurgents in fierce battles near Fallujah, the restive Anbar province town that is located 65 kilometres (40 miles) west of Baghdad.

In a stark reminder of Iraq’s recent past, the tribunal that will put Saddam Hussein on trial released footage of his notorious cousin – the man known as “Chemical Ali” because of his role in the 1988 poison gas attack that killed 5,000 people in the Kurdish town of Halabja.

Ali Hassan al-Majid was one of eight former regime officials shown testifying before an investigation magistrate on a tape released by the Iraqi Special tribunal.

There was no audio and no trials dates have been set for any former regime officials including Saddam, who was shown on a video released earlier this month.

In Baghdad, the bomber detonated a vest laden with explosives at the Ibn Zanbour restaurant, which is just 400 metres (yards) from the main gate of the heavily fortified Green Zone and is especially popular with Iraqi police and soldiers.

The dead included seven police officers, while the injured included 16 officers and the bodyguards of Iraqi Finance minister Ali Abdel-Amir Allawi, police and hospital officials said. The minister was not in the restaurant.

“Today’s indiscriminate attack on an Iraqi restaurant is another sign that the terrorists are continuing to kill innocent Iraqi citizens,” said US Lt Col Robert Roth, 4th Battalion, 64th Armour Regiment battalion commander.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility and said the attacker was from Qaim, near where one of the two major offensives has been taking place.

The statement appeared on an Islamic Web site. Its authenticity couldn’t be verified.