[lbo-talk] Blow to Iraqi Guerillas (or US?) : Sunnis, Shiites Unite After Blasts

Stephen E Philion philion at hawaii.edu
Wed Mar 3 07:15:13 PST 2004


This will surely break patriotic anarchists' hearts..., but...

Iraqi Shiites Decry U.S. After Bombings

By TAREK AL-ISSAWI and JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writers

KARBALA, Iraq - Shiite Muslim mourners chanted slogans against the United States Wednesday, venting their anger at Iraq (news - web sites)'s instability after a series of suicide bombings against pilgrims. As the country began three days of mourning, officials said 15 people, some possibly Iranians, had been detained in the attacks

Several thousand joined a funeral procession in the afternoon, taking three bodies to the tombs of the Islamic saints Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas for blessings before heading to bury them at the cemetery in this city 50 miles south of Baghdad.

"No, no, Americans! No, no Israel! No, no, terrorists!" they chanted, carrying red, black and green flags, symbols of martyrdom traditional for Ashoura ceremonies.

Iraqi leaders have worried about Shiite revenge attacks against Sunnis and pleaded with the public to maintain unity.

But the focus of Shiite anger has been directed more at the U.S.-led occupation. Some, including the top Shiite cleric, accused U.S. officials of not doing enough to protect the 10-day Ashoura ceremonies; others simply vented resentment over the country's continuing insecurity.

The coalition official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 15 people were detained in Karbala after the blasts and nine were in Iraqi custody. The others, held by coalition forces, included four Farsi speakers thought to be Iranians, the official said. An estimated 100,000 Iranians were believed to have come to Iraq for Ashoura.



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