Iraqi officer 'behind bank heist'

An Iraqi army captain, possibly helped by presidential bodyguards, is believed to have been behind a major bank robbery in Baghdad, officials say.

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Tuesday's robbery, in which eight people were killed and millions of dollars stolen, was among the biggest in Baghdad's history.

The money has since been recovered from inside a government compound in the city centre. Two people have been arrested but another is still at large, police say.

A tip-off on Friday led police to the compound, close to the bank where the robbery took place in the district of Karrada.

Police believe that presidential bodyguards may have been involved in the robbery, which netted about $7m (£4m) worth of Iraqi dinars. The BBC's Natalia Antelava in Baghdad says this theory matches a widespread suspicion that the robbers had some inside help. The gunmen stormed the bank at dawn just after it had received a large transfer of cash.

Three held over Baghdad robbery