Antony Loyd, Correspondent for The Times in Iraq, witnessed the devastation caused by the bombs in Baghdad today and assesses the potential political impact of the continued insurgency.

"When we arrived in Oruba Square it was a bloodbath. There were body parts strewn everywhere, burnt-out cars and vans piled up and puddles of blood on the road. I spoke to one of the first police officers who arrived at the scene and he described how people were picking up their relatives in plastic bags.

"The crowd were very angry and were hostile to our presence, and particularly to the presence of the American and Iraqi soldiers.

"Some locals are saying that it was a suicide bomber who lured labourers to his the van before blowing it up, but it's not clear.

"The police are saying categorically that the bomb was in a parked blue Kia car which was remotely detonated. Up to 500 short-term labourers were waiting to be picked up so they were guaranteed a large number of deaths.

"Anyone who had been close enough to see what happened would have been killed.

"Clearly, this tells us that the insurgency still has the means to co-ordinate such a series of attacks and still has volunteers who are willing to carry them through. They are more than capable of pulling off operations whereby multiple bombs explode killing or wounding dozens of people.

"Until today the insurgency has been confined to a small area, but this comes at a time when the country is moving, albeit slowly, towards the referendum.

"It would not be the end of the world if the constitution was rejected next month, but it would still be a serious setback for a country that is struggling to find stability.

"The more frightened, the more suspicious and the more hostile the people of Iraq become, the more likely it is that they will vote 'No'."

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