Iraq: Mastermind of Golden Dome bombing killed

US troops killed an al-Qaida leader behind the bombing of twin minarets at Iraq's prized Golden Dome shrine in Samarra, the military said Sunday. Haitham Sabah Shaker Mohammed al-Badri was killed in a US operation Thursday east of Samarra, the US military said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. The military said al-Badri was the al-Qaida in Iraq emir of Salahuddin province, and the mastermind responsible for the bombing of the Askariya mosque's minarets on June 13. "Al-Badri was positively identified by close associates and family members," the statement said.