Iraqi parliament sounds alarm after deadly blast near protester hub

The Iraqi parliament on Saturday warned of furtheracts aimed at "destabilizing" the country hours after an explosionnear the epicentre of ongoing anti-government protests in the capitalBaghdad.An explosive device placed under a car went off late Friday nearTahrir Square in central Baghdad.Security forces said the blast left one person dead and 16 othersinjured, while witnesses put the death toll at four. "This blast marks a dangerous development in securing demonstrators'safety. It proves there is a side that is seeking to destabilizesecurity and spread chaos," the parliament's Human Rights Committeesaid without elaborating, according to Iraq's official news agencyINA.Street protests started in Iraq in early October, with demonstratorscalling for the resignation of the government, the dissolution ofparliament and an overhaul of the country's political system that hasbeen in place since the 2003 US-led invasion of the country.At least 319 protesters and security personnel have since died inthe demonstrations, mainly in the capital Baghdad and the oil-richsouth, according to official figures.Several rights groups have accused the Iraqi security forces of usingexcessive violence.On Saturday, the parliament's Human Rights Committee called onsecurity forces and protesters to help limit any violence by what itcalled the "third side" - those suspected of attacking theprotesters.