CNN: Holiest Shiite Muslim shrine damaged in Najaf

[diamond14]

Holiest Shiite Muslim shrine damaged in Najaf

Car bomb explodes in Baghdad

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 Posted: 1616 GMT (0016 HKT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The holiest of Shiite Muslim mosques was mysteriously damaged Tuesday, as violence continued in the Iraqi capital.

In Najaf, the Imam Ali Mosque -- the holiest of all Shiite Muslim shrines --was damaged by some type of explosion outside its walls, but it was not at all clear what -- or who -- caused the minor damage.

A U.S. military spokesman told CNN that coalition forces were not involved in any fighting near the shrine and did not fire any mortar or artillery near the mosque that could account for any damage.

Angry Iraqis gathered outside the mosque to protest.

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/25/iraq.main...


Suicide bomber in Baghdad

In Baghdad, a suicide attacker exploded a bomb Tuesday morning in front of the al-Garmah hotel in Baghdad's Jadriya district, injuring two civilians, a coalition military spokesman said.

Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said the bomber was in a car and the explosion went off as the vehicle came to a stop by the hotel.

Col. Mike Murray called the bombing a "random act of violence against the Iraqi people."

[bemildred]

1. Ah yes, they damaged their own shrine in their criminal attacks on us. nt

[NC_Nurse]

2. More ways we win friends

and influence people in Iraq.

[wryter2000]

3. Damn, damn, damn

That's Mohammed's brother's shrine. How would we feel if they blew up the Sistine Chapel?

[Bridget Burke]

6. Even non-Christians would lament the loss of the Sistine Chapel.

And many civilized people regard Islamic architecture (from Cordoba to Samarkand & beyond) as one of the glories of humanity.

[jobycom]

9. Actually, Muhammad's son in law.

Ali was Muhammad's son-in-law, the husband of his favorite daughter, Fatima. Ali was the fourth Caliph in the Sunni lore, and the first Imam in Shi'a lore. Thus, he's venerated by both Sunni and Shi'a. But, of course, the Sunni don't venerate his martyrdom the way the Shi'a do, and the Mosque is a symbol of that martyrdom, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that the Sunni would damage a Shi'a mosque to Ali.

It is highly unlikely, though, since the two sides have a common enemy now.

[wryter2000]

13. Thanks for the correction

I knew it was someone close in the family.

[CulturalNomad]

4. Our priorities are clear - protect the oil fields, let

the museums and mosques go - hey there aint no money there. Wait the artifacts may be worth something - sorry soldiers and Fox reporters already took the best stuff......

[0007]

15. I forgot all about that and plunder...

[diamond14]

5. AJ: 5 or 6 missiles hit the building....

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/645433D2-9B97-43...

Iraq Shia shrine damaged in attack

Tuesday 25 May 2004, 19:23 Makka Time, 16:23 GMT



The Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, the holiest Shia site in Iraq, has been damaged by rockets or mortars, witnesses have said.

One of the entrances to the shrine was damaged in the attack on Tuesday. It was not clear who fired the missiles. US forces have been fighting Shia militiamen loyal to leader Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf and other Shia areas.

Ahmad Shibani, al-Sadr's representative at the shrine, said five or six missiles had hit the building.

Earlier this month, the vast gilded dome of the shrine was
damaged in fighting. The US military and al-Sadr's militiamen
blamed each other for causing the damage.


Iraqi Shia cry on the gates of the holy site

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. Relax, it's all part of the president's "Five Part Plan"...

...isn't it?



http://news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/iraq/082701iraqplan...

"Combat boots bearing the nametags of 800 U.S. soldiers who have died in the war in Iraq are displayed during a exhibit by the American Friends Service Committee near the U. S. Capitol in Washington Tuesday, May 25, 2004. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)"

[Just Me]

8. This just pisses me off!!!

There is NO excuse for this,...NONE!!!

Directing several missiles at any historical building, religious or otherwise, is reckless maliciousness and inciteful!!!

And, what's the crap about this act being somehow "mysterious". Bullshit!!! Bullshit!!!! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

[demdave]

10. Imam Ali Mosque ....holy site or site of violence?

August 29, 2003, 11:56am EDT
CAR BOMB AT IRAQI MOSQUE KILLS AT LEAST 75, INCLUDING KEY CLERIC

Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Mohammed Bakr al-Hakim was one of at least 75 people killed when a car bomb exploded at the main mosque in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf during prayers on Friday.

The explosion carved out a crater about 3.5 feet deep in the street in front of the mosque, which is one of the holiest in Iraq and contains the shrine of Imam Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed. An Iraqi hospital official put the death toll at 75. Thousands of people in Najaf filled the streets outside the mosque to search through rubble for victims.

Among the dead was al-Hakim, who had just delivered a sermon calling for Iraqi unity. Al-Hakim, 64, was the spiritual leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, one of the top Shiite groups opposed to the toppled Saddam Hussein regime.

Or this....

Iraqi Shiite Leader, Aide Assassinated in Najaf

By Mehrdad Balali

04-10-03

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul Majid al-Khoei and his aide were assassinated in an attack in the holiest shrine in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on Thursday, members of his family foundation told Reuters.

Ali Jabr of the London-based Khoei Foundation said Abdel Majid, who is the son of the late leader of Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority, was killed at the Grand Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf on Thursday afternoon.

Later, fellow Khoei foundation member Ghanem Jawad told al-Jazeera television that Khoei's aide Haidar Kelidar was also killed by what he described as a mob in the mosque attack.

And then the "holiest" site is used as an ammo dump and fire base. I think this is slightly different than the way the Sistine Chapel is utilized.

[Dhalgren]

11. Historically, the churches in Rome

including the Vatican's have been used in very similar ways. What is your point?

[DrWeird]

12. Hey,

at least it's not used as a dungeon for molesting small boys.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[demdave]

20. You have an alert button, use it.

You seem to be the only person here breaking rules.

Do not post personal attacks or engage in name-calling against other members of this discussion board.

Do not publicly accuse another member of this message board of being a disruptor, troll, conservative, Republican, or FReeper. Do not try to come up with cute ways of skirting around the spirit of this rule. If you think someone is a disruptor, click the "Alert" link below their post so the moderators can deal with it. Unfortunately, it has become all too common for members of this message board to label anyone with a slightly different point of view as a disruptor. We disapprove of this behavior because its intent is to stifle discussion, enforce a particular "party line," and pre-emptively label a particular point of view as inappropriate or unwelcome. This makes thoughtful and open debate virtually impossible.

Do not "stalk" another member from one discussion thread to another. Do not follow someone into another thread to try to continue a disagreement you had elsewhere. Do not talk negatively about an individual in a thread where they are not participating. Do not start a new discussion thread with the purpose of "calling out" another member or picking a fight with another member. Do not use your signature line to draw negative attention to another member of the board.

If you just don't like someone, please be aware that you have the option of putting that person on your ignore list. Just click on the appropriate icon on one of that person's posts.

[Zhade]

21. I've read the rules.

Considering your reputation here, I'm not worried. If the mods want to delete one of my posts that point out the obvious - that your views are hardly shared by the majority of progressives on DU - then they can, and I wouldn't begrudge them. After all, it's their board.

It won't stop me from pointing out that you often act as an apologist for conservatives and try to derail threads using unreferenced "facts" that contradict what reputable sources say.

If you would prefer not to read my posts, you're always welcome to put me on ignore. I put few people on ignore myself, because I think it's important to be able to see when posters such as yourself attempt to steer threads away from the truth and respond accordingly.

[demdave]

23. unreferenced "facts" that contradict what reputable sources say?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-08-29-iraq...

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/30/1062194756...

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7108375...

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-08/31/content_...

And your "reputable sources that contradict these would be?????

I thought so.....silence when confronted with fact.

[Zhade]

24. Yeah, silence for, what, five minutes?

You sure claimed the victory there, buddy.



And your "proof" from conservative-leaning corporate media hardly supports your claims.

[demdave]

25. And your "reputable sources that contradict these would be?????

How much time do you need?


I thought so.....silence when confronted with fact.

[Zhade]

26. Once again, silence for a short time does not equal you being correct.

You still have to provide actual, credible evidence before it can be refuted.

I'm not holding my breath for that.

[Just Me]

27. You don't care, huh. As long as it's not your life, it's all good. n/t

[Moderator]

29. demdave and Zhade, COOL IT RIGHT NOW

Challenge of the Day: find a way to sort this out without biting each-other's virtual heads off.

[Zhade]

30. Yes, you're right.

I've actually logged back in to offer demdave an apology.

demdave: I don't agree with you 95% of the time, and I do think you're too conservative-leaning for my comfort, but I did start the flamefest by attacking you instead of addressing why I disagreed with your post. I apologize for that. I was wrong to do that.

I'll do better in the future to attack the message if needed, but not the messenger.

[demdave]

31. Accepted and done.

[LeftistGorilla]

14. Ya think....

anyone will get mad?

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Bu$h is just liberating more Iraqis

but in my book, it looks more like genocide.

[keithyboy]

22. What if all the Muslims in the world donned their white robes and came to

Iraq? Just walked up and disarmed the US military. No weapons, no noise, no praying, just a silent strike.

[Just Me]

28. What if,...all the Americans walked up on the steps of the dark house,...

,...and said, NO MORE!!!

Where does the burden lie?

The Muslims didn't exactly INVITE this war,...now, did they.