"We didn't kill those kids" Al-Qaeda say

Al Qaida in Iraq purportedly issued a statement denying it was behind a horrific attack on a poor east Baghdad neighbourhood that killed 18 children and teenagers.

"We, al Qaida organisation in Iraq, announce that we are not in the least responsible for the New Baghdad operation that took place on Wednesday," said a statement posted and signed by Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, al Qaida spokesman.

as you might imagine this story is a little hard to track down as most of the main media outlets are not reporting it but a few details can be found Here and Here

upadte: more translation from the latest statement

"We in the Organisation of Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia announce that we have no link whatsoever to the operation in new Baghdad, which took place Wednesday,"

"Our way in the Al-Qaeda organisation of fighting the enemies of God, the Crusaders and their tails of (Iraqi) army and police, is well known,"

"Our Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who supervises personally all operations from planning to execution, is very keen on making sure that ordinary people are not targeted,When the Crusaders gathered following the attack, another penetrated the crowd and detonated an explosives-belt"