His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday strongly condemned a dawn bomb attack that targeted Imam Ali al-Hadi's mausoleum in the Iraqi city of Samarra.

In a cable sent to Iraqi President Jalal al-Talbani, His Majesty said that the act "enraged and provoked us" and caused harm to all Muslims.

"It is really an act which we completely reject and strongly condemn."

The King stressed the importance of preserving holy shrines and other places of worship.

King Abdullah said the attack was "a desperate attempt to scatter and hinder efforts to enhance Iraqi national unity, state building and realizing a safe future for Iraq".