In Iraq, the spate of car bomb blasts and shoot outs which left over 100 dead and more than 350 injured in a single day has raised question marks over the security and stability in the country.

The spectre of a sectarian divide between the three power sharing groups in the Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki led Government looms large with a court announcing death sentence to the fugitive Iraqi Vice President Tareq Al Hashemi .

The serial bombings in Iraq have not only cast a shadow on the security but also widened the chasm between the Majority Shia, minority Sunni and the Kurd community in the country.

The Majority Shiite Government led by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki says the blasts are the handiwork of those who want to destabilize the country. Iraqi Interior Ministry has blamed Al Qaeda affiliate, Islamic State of Iraq for the deadly attacks .

In a statement in Baghdad it said the attacks on the markets and mosques are aimed at provoking sectarian and political tensions, but Iraq will continue its war against terrorism. Analysts say that linking the blasts to the death sentence for the fugitive Sunni Vice President Tareq Al Hashemi will be premature.

Hashemi has dismissed the charges against him as a political vendetta. However Iraqi Government says it is purely a legal matter. For the ruling coalition of Shia, Sunni and Kurd groups it is a wake up call to put their house in order and secure Iraq.