Tomb Attack Stokes Sectarian Conflicts
By Cihan News Agency, Samarra
Published: Thursday, February 23, 2006
zaman.com
The bomb attack on the Al-Askariya tomb and a neighboring complex in the Iraqi city of Samara, which Shiites regard as holy, generated a new wave of conflict between Shiites and Sunnis.
The bomb attack almost demolished the “golden dome” of the shrine that also contains the tombs of the tenth Shiite imam Ali al-Hadi and his son Hasan al-Askari; serious harm that was followed by separate announcements of a seven-day mourning by Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Iraq and Ayatollah Ali Khamanei in Iran.
Ayatollah Sistani appealed for “appropriate protests” about the bomb attacks, and also asked for caution in traveling to Samara; however, the Shiite protests turned into a series of attacks against Sunnis.
The attacks left six Sunnis dead, three of whom were imams, in Bagdat (Baghdad).
At least 60 mosques were damaged in the nation-wide attacks.
Shiites used automatic guns and launched missiles to demolish mosques, said Iraqi Islamic Party officials.
Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari also condemned the attack, announcing a three-day mourning period.
The attacks target the entire Muslim world, said al-Jaafari, and asked the Iraqi people to remain united for the sake of the Islamic world and the national brotherhood among Iraqis.
Muvaffak al-Rubai, Iraqi National Security Adviser, appealed for calm and held al-Qaeda responsible for the attacks.
“Plans to force the Iraqi people into a civil war are bound to fail,” said al-Rubai.
Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr also denounced the assaults, and held the insurgent responsible for all that have happened.
Al-Sadr added the “Iraqis have run out of patience” with attacks against the tombs of the Prophet Mohammed’s descendants following recent publications of cartoons satirizing the Prophet.
Abdelaziz al-Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, held Zalmay Khalilzad, US ambassador to Baghdad, responsible for the attacks because the ambassador said the US administration will not support the Shiite-led security forces.
The Shiites believe that Hasan al-Askari is the father of the 12th imam Mahdi, who is believed be resurrected on the day of judgment
By Cihan News Agency, Samarra
Published: Thursday, February 23, 2006
zaman.com
The bomb attack on the Al-Askariya tomb and a neighboring complex in the Iraqi city of Samara, which Shiites regard as holy, generated a new wave of conflict between Shiites and Sunnis.
The bomb attack almost demolished the “golden dome” of the shrine that also contains the tombs of the tenth Shiite imam Ali al-Hadi and his son Hasan al-Askari; serious harm that was followed by separate announcements of a seven-day mourning by Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Iraq and Ayatollah Ali Khamanei in Iran.
Ayatollah Sistani appealed for “appropriate protests” about the bomb attacks, and also asked for caution in traveling to Samara; however, the Shiite protests turned into a series of attacks against Sunnis.
The attacks left six Sunnis dead, three of whom were imams, in Bagdat (Baghdad).
At least 60 mosques were damaged in the nation-wide attacks.
Shiites used automatic guns and launched missiles to demolish mosques, said Iraqi Islamic Party officials.
Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari also condemned the attack, announcing a three-day mourning period.
The attacks target the entire Muslim world, said al-Jaafari, and asked the Iraqi people to remain united for the sake of the Islamic world and the national brotherhood among Iraqis.
Muvaffak al-Rubai, Iraqi National Security Adviser, appealed for calm and held al-Qaeda responsible for the attacks.
“Plans to force the Iraqi people into a civil war are bound to fail,” said al-Rubai.
Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr also denounced the assaults, and held the insurgent responsible for all that have happened.
Al-Sadr added the “Iraqis have run out of patience” with attacks against the tombs of the Prophet Mohammed’s descendants following recent publications of cartoons satirizing the Prophet.
Abdelaziz al-Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, held Zalmay Khalilzad, US ambassador to Baghdad, responsible for the attacks because the ambassador said the US administration will not support the Shiite-led security forces.
The Shiites believe that Hasan al-Askari is the father of the 12th imam Mahdi, who is believed be resurrected on the day of judgment
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