A report in Pakistan’s Daily Times, citing the Iraqi oil ministry, said the saboteurs hit two pipelines serving the country’s northern and southern oilfields and also halted the flow of crude to Baghdad’s Daura refinery, which interrupted the production of refined fuel.

The Daily Times report said the attacks were claimed by the Al Qaeda Organisation of Mesopotamia, an Islamic militant group loyal to Bin Laden. The group apparently distributed leaflets in Baiji which stated the attacks were in response to Bin Laden’s internet message last Thursday calling for his followers to hit oil facilities in the Gulf region.

Oil ministry spokesman Jihad Assem said four American contractors were wounded in the blasts. Assem condemned the “terrorist acts” which were depriving Iraqis of petroleum products and Iraq of much needed revenue.

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper said the blasts occurred in the Sunni area around Baghdad and in north-central Iraq and hit two pipelines. Three blasts occurred on 17 December and two occurred on 18 December.

Citing unidentified officials, Dawn reported the one pipeline was hit near Baiji. The other runs from the Kirkuk oil fields to the IT01A storage tanks also near Baiji. It is understood the tanks at IT-1A were full before the attack.