Suicide bomber blew himself up near central Baghdad hotel

A suicide car bomber detonated his explosives-laden BMW in the center of the capital, targeting a passing convoy of American security agents.

It is the second attack in a week near the heavily fortified Sadir Hotel.

An Iraqi police official said one passer-by was injured but no one in the convoy was hurt in the explosion, which sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky over Rasafi Street in Baghdad's busy Karradah neighborhood, a main shopping and commercial district, the AP reports.