Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division’s Task Force Baghdad pulled the driver of an explosives-laden car to safety Sunday after the bomb failed to detonate properly and instead burst into flames.

It happened near a barrier at the entrance to a military base in eastern Baghdad.

Military officials said a preliminary investigation indicated that the driver was forced to carry out the mission by insurgents who had kidnapped his family.

“This is another case where Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has to extort men to carry out his indiscriminate slaughtering. He can’t recruit volunteers; he is resorting to forcing Iraqi civilians to carry out these mission by threatening harm to kidnapped family members,” said Col. Joe DiSalvo, Commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

The 3rd ID took over responsibility from Fort Hood’s 1st Cavalry Division in February for operations in and around Baghdad.

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