IRAQ: SHI'ITE CLERIC CONGRATULATES THE IRAQI PEOPLE FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S CAPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN

Record ID: 590766

  • Title: IRAQ: SHI'ITE CLERIC CONGRATULATES THE IRAQI PEOPLE FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S CAPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN
  • Date: 19th December 2003
  • Summary: (EU) KUFA, IRAQ (DECEMBER 19, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS IN AL-KUFA MOSQUE CARRYING PICTURES OF MUQTADA AL-SADR AND CHANTING FOR HIM (2 shots) 0.12 2. SCU SOUNDBITE (ARABIC) SHI'ITE CLERIC MUQTADA AL-SADR GIVING FRIDAY'S SERMON AT KUFA MOSQUE SAYING: "Congratulations to the oppressed people of Iraq, who suffered from Saddam, on his capture. Congratulations to you for this great pleasure and I hope you will be responsible and be on your guard too. " 0.32 3. SMV OF WORSHIPPERS HOLDING WORRY BEADS 0.40 4. SCU SOUNDBITE (Arabic), SADR, SAYING: "As a goodwill gesture on my side I nullify the general strike, which I have called for previously." 1.02 5. VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS PRAYING AT KUFA MOSQUE (3 SHOTS) 1.48 6. SLV WORSHIPPERS WALKING IN KUFA MOSQUE COURTYARD AND CHANTING SLOGANS 1.59 7. VARIOUS OF WOMEN PROTESTING ABOUT FRENCH DECISION TO BAN MUSLIM HEADSCARFS IN SCHOOLS (2 SHOTS) 2.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KUFA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA53UOQW7GMYTUYPTS6Q4DBEI32
  • Story Text: Iraqi firebrand Shi'ite cleric congratulates Iraqi
    people on capture of Saddam Hussein



    In his Friday sermon in Kufa mosque in the southern
    Shi'ite city of Najaf, Muqtada al-Sadr said that the
    capture of Saddam would give great pleasure to the Iraqi
    people.

    "Congratulations to the oppressed people of Iraq, who
    suffered from Saddam, on his capture," Sadr told a large
    congregation at the Kufa mosque. "Congratulations to you
    for this great pleasure and I hope you will be responsible
    and be on your guard too."
    Saddam was captured by the U.S. forces on Saturday
    (December 13). The 30-year-old Sadr is a firebrand
    anti-American who has threatened to lead a Shi'ite
    guerrilla war against U.S. troops.

    Although Sadr has a large following in Sadr City - the
    Baghdad suburb named after his father - and has an armed
    militia of several hundred men, his repeated calls for
    Iraqis to disobey the Americans have failed to spark a
    significant response.

    Faced with U.S. threats to arrest him if he continues
    flirting with rebellion, Sadr has in recent sermons
    moderated his words and disavowed armed attacks.

    Sadr also advised Iraqi people to resort to peaceful
    means to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq, and cancelled his
    call for Iraqi people to go on general strike.

    "As a goodwill gesture on my side I nullify the general
    strike, which I have called for previously," Sadr said.

    Sadr had called for the Iraqi people to go on general
    strike two weeks ago if the U.S.-led Coalition forces did
    not respond to a three-week ultimatum to release detainees
    The son of a top religious leader assassinated in 1999,
    Sadr is seen by the U.S. military as a potential source of
    unrest because of his militancy, his groups ability to
    mobilise supporters quickly, and growing evidence that his
    followers are heavily armed.

    After the prayer a group of women dressed in black
    chador from head to toe demonstrated at the Kufa mosque
    against the French government's decision to ban Islamic
    headscarves in public schools.
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