Islamist insurgent group The Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility Friday for the suicide bombing that targeted an army recruiting centre in Baghdad earlier this week, DPA reported.
The group, which is linked to al-Qaeda, said in a statement published on Islamist websites that the bomber targeted a "group of Shiite apostates who sold their faith for money to be a cheap tool used in a war against Sunnis."
At least 58 people were killed and 130 injured in the Tuesday attack that targeted soldiers, police and new or potential recruits.
"The target this time - like every time - is the heart of security, where we penetrated all barriers to reach the target zone," added the statement.
Baghdad security spokesman Qassim Atta had previously blamed the attack on al-Qaeda, saying that "the fingerprints of al-Qaeda are very clear in this attack."
Security forces have increasingly been coming under attack from insurgents in recent months, as the United States security presence in Iraq declines.
The US military, which led the invasion in 2003, said that the number of forces still in Iraq was 52,000, with the last US combat troops leaving the country on Thursday.
All US forces are scheduled to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
The Islamic State of Iraq is an umbrella organization made up of Islamist insurgent groups, including al-Qaeda's Iraqi branch.