Monday, March 11, 2002 . Posted: 16:28:15 (AEDT)
http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s501687.htm
US researcher seeks to exhume 'Jesus Christ' in Kashmir An American researcher who believes she has found the final resting place of Jesus Christ, is campaigning to exhume a body at a Muslim shrine in Indian-administered Kashmir for scientific tests.
Suzanne Marie Olsson, a New York-based researcher is currently in Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital, studying the Muslim shrine of Rozabal.
While Muslims say Rozabal houses the tomb of Yuza Asaf, a Muslim saint, many researchers believe it contains the body of Jesus Christ.
To put an end to speculation, Ms Olsson has suggested exhuming the remains at Rozabal for DNA testing and carbon dating.
"This will trace him to his origin... and resolve the raging controversy over the identity of the place forever," she said.
Ms Olsson has already dug up a shrine at the Murree hill station in Pakistan under the supervision of archaeologists Ahmad Hassan Dani and Saida Rahman.
Murree is believed to be the resting place of Jesus' mother, Mary.
"The exhumed remains have been sent for the DNA testing and the report is awaited," she said.
"Now Rozabal holds the key.
"If the remains there are sent for testing and then tallied with the results of the Murree project, it will either establish the link between the two shrines as being of similar origin and thus authenticate the Marium-Jesus theory or prove it wrong for good."
However, her project has run into trouble with the managers of the Rozabal shrine, who are strongly opposed to its "desecration".
"We will never allow it," said Mohammed Amin, one of the managers.
===== Kevin Dean Buffalo, NY ICQ: 8616001 Buffalo Activist Network http://www.buffaloactivist.net
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