IRAQ: SUNNIS AT THE FUNERAL OF ASSASSINATED CLERIC ACCUSE SHI'ITE MILITIA OF FOMENTING VIOLENCE

Record ID: 646780

  • Title: IRAQ: SUNNIS AT THE FUNERAL OF ASSASSINATED CLERIC ACCUSE SHI'ITE MILITIA OF FOMENTING VIOLENCE
  • Date: 19th May 2005
  • Summary: (BN11) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MAY 18, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SMV PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN FUNERAL PROCESSION OF SHEIKH HASSAN NUAIMI, A MEMBER OF THE MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION WHO WAS ASSASSINATED IN BAGHDAD; PEOPLE CARRYING COFFIN OF ASSASSINATED SHEIKH 0.17 2. SLV BANNER READING "THE FORMER EXECUTIONERS OF IRANIAN JAILS ARE TODAY THE LEADERS OF SECURITY AUTHORITIES"/ UM AL-QURRA MOSQUE HEADQUARTERS OF THE MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION IN BACKGROUND; MOURNERS CARRYING COFFIN OF AL-NUAIMI AND BANNERS; MOURNERS CHANTING SLOGANS; BANNER READING "THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR IS THE BIGGEST TERRORIST" 1.31 3. MV MOURNERS CARRYING THE COFFIN AND CHANTING SLOGANS; COFFIN ON TOP OF A CAR/ MOURNERS GATHERING AROUND CHANTING "THERE IS NO GOD BUT GOD AND AMERICA IS THE ENEMY OF GOD"; CAR LEAVING WOTH COFFIN ON TOP 2.05 4. MEMBERS OF MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE 2.10 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHEIKH HARITH AL-DHARI, HEAD OF MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION SAYING: "We knew the sides that stand behind the assassinations of imams, sheikhs, and prayers. They are the same sides that cordoned off the camp of our Palestinian brothers in al-Baladiat area to take them out of the country. They are Badr militant group." 2.51 6. AUDIENCE AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.55 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AL-DHARI SAYING: "All the world should know that we are heading towards a catastrophe, only God knows when it ends. This is our warning." 3.12 8. CAMERA OPERATORS 3.15 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ADNAN AL-DULEIMI, HEAD OF SUNNI ENDOWMENTS, SAYING: "I call upon the preachers of our mosques to close the mosques for three days, beginning from the day after the next Friday prayer in protest to the killing of preachers and clergymen." 3.37 10. AUDIENCE AT PRESS CONFERENCE 3.44 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 3rd June 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA66653EBKPCRA793AG3V1XPRVR
  • Story Text: Sunnis at the funeral of an assassinated cleric
    accuse Shi'ite militia of fomenting violence.

    Hundreds of angry Sunnis in Baghdad on Wednesday
    (May 18, 2005) attended the funeral of assassinated cleric Hassan
    Nuimi as mourners carried anti-government banners and
    chanted slogans accusing the new Shi'ite interior minister
    of backing the assassination of Sunni clerics.

    Furious Sunnis walked in the streets of Baghdad for the
    funeral of Nuaimi, vowing revenge for the continuing
    killing of Sunnis, one banner which was held up during the
    funeral read "Interior Ministry is the biggest terrorist".

    Hassan Nuaimi, a member of the Sunni Muslim Clerics
    Association, was found dead in Baghdad yesterday, a day
    after the group accused the Shi'ite-led government of state
    terrorism and turning a blind eye to the killings of Sunnis.

    Top Sunni clerics in Iraq have accused a Shi'ite
    militant group of standing behind the killing of Sunni
    mosque preachers, a move that will fuel the sectarian
    violence and may drag the country into a civil strife.

    "We knew the sides that stand behind the assassinations
    of imams, sheikhs, and prayers. They are the same sides
    that cordoned off the camp of our Palestinian brothers in al-Baladiat
    area (in Baghdad) to take them out of the
    country. They are the Badr militant group," said Harith
    al-Dhari, head of Muslim Clerics Association.

    They also announced a three-day closure to Sunni
    mosques in protest to the killing of preachers and
    clergymen.

    "I call upon the preachers of our mosques to close the
    mosques for three days, beginning from the day after the
    next Friday prayer in protest to the killing of preachers
    and clergymen," said Adnan al-Duleimi, the head of Sunni
    Endowments.

    The influential Sunni Muslim Clerics Association
    pointed the finger at Shi'ite Badr militant group, saying
    the Interior Ministry officials were backing Shi'ite
    insurgents, and approved the killing of Sunni clerics.

    The Shi'ite Badr organisation denied any involvement in
    the killings of Sunnis.

    Hadi al-Amiri, Secretary- General of Badr Organization
    told Reuters that he considered such comments from al-Dhari
    as irresponsible and only serve to pour fuel on the flames,
    adding that it does not benefit the stability of Iraq's
    security in anyway.

    Al-Dhari also vowed that Sunnis will not keep silent
    saying "we are heading towards a catastrophe, only God
    knows when it will end, this is our warning."
    However, al-Dhari ruled out any sectarian strife and
    blamed political parties and government bodies to stand
    behind the ongoing violence.

    Authorities say the spate of killings of Sunnis and
    Shi'ites will open the door for a civil war.

    Al-Darri also appealed to Iran to stop the killing acts
    believed to be conducted by Shi'ites.

    "We call upon Iran and its Foreign Minister which both
    support the Higher Council and Badr to crackdown on them
    (Shi'ite militants)," al-Darri said.


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