IRAQ: AL-SADR PRESS CONFERENCE ON CLASHES BETWEEN RIVAL SHI'ITE FACTIONS, PROTESTS, LATEST.

Record ID: 647737

  • Title: IRAQ: AL-SADR PRESS CONFERENCE ON CLASHES BETWEEN RIVAL SHI'ITE FACTIONS, PROTESTS, LATEST.
  • Date: 25th August 2005
  • Summary: (W2) NAJAF, IRAQ (AUGUST 25, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. GV/MV: HUNDREDS OF SHI'ITE FOLLOWERS OF CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR' CHANTING IN SUPPORT FOR THE CLERIC AND DANCING WITH RIFLES IN FRONT OF SADR'S HOUSE IN NAJAF CITY (3 SHOTS) 0.21 2. GV: CROWD CARRYING ABOVE THEIR HEADS A COFFIN OF A MAN KILLED DURING WEDNESDAY'S CLASHES IN THE CITY 0.30 3. MV: SHI'ITE CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR WALKING IN FOR PRESS CONFERENCE AND TAKING SEAT AT TABLE 0.36 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHI'ITE CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR, SAYING: "But Iraq is now passing through a critical and difficult period, which required from us solidarity and support and to forget acts by some of the conspirators, the followers of the atheist Baath and the followers of the occupier who want to destabilise Iraq. But I say I extend my hand to everybody to help build this Iraq and to build our holy city of Najaf . On one hand, I thank the statements by the dear brother Ibrahim al-Jaafari (Iraqi Prime Minister) because they are statements of peace and statements of brotherhood and God willing, he (Jaafari) has promised to rebuild the office and protect it, may God reward him for this. On the other hand, I demand that brother Abdul Aziz al-Hakim make an official announcement condemning the aggression by his representatives and some extremists, against the office of the honourable martyr (his father, Sadr). We hope he and the brothers from the Badr Organisation will do." 1.45 5. MV: SADR SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS AT PRESS CONFERENCE 1.52 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHI'ITE CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR, SAYING: "Parts of the constitution are missing, it is incomplete and cannot be accepted. I heard that they (Sunni Arabs) have some reservations, but I do not know." 2.03 7. MV/CU/ZOOM OUT/GV: PEOPLE SITTING IN SADR'S HOUSE; SADR LEAVING AFTER PRESS CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 2.21 8. MV/CU: BADLY WOUNDED MEN LYING IN HOSPITAL BEDS; MAN LYING ON BED WITH ONE LEG BLOWN OFF AND GROIN INJURY (8 SHOTS) 3.03 9. GV/MV: WOLF BRIGADE, IRAQ'S HIGH PROFILE POLICE FORCE, ARMED WITH GUNS AND RIDING ON BACK OF TRUCKS (4 SHOTS) 3.29 10. GV: LOCAL MEN WITH POLICE 3.36 11. GV/MCU: SADR SUPPORTERS STANDING IN DEBRIS OF ATTACK ON SADR'S NAJAF OFFICE; SUPPORTER HOLDING UP BOTTLE WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A PETROL BOMB; SUPPORTERS STANDING IN RUBBLE; SUPPORTER CRYING (4 SHOTS) 4.01 (BN06) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 25, 2005) (REUTERS) 12. GV/CU: BLACKENED BUILDING OF THE OFFICE OF BADR BRIGADE; BLACKENED SIGN READING "BADR BRIGADE" (2 SHOTS) 4.13 13. CU/GV: BLOOD ON GROUND INSIDE OFFICE; ROOM IN THE OFFICE WITH ASHES COVERING GROUND AND DAMAGED FAN (2 SHOTS) 4.23 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABU HUSSEIN AL-BAYDHANI, A GUARD OF THE OFFICE AND EYEWITNESS, SAYING: "They (al-Sadr's followers) entered the office and they wounded one of our colleagues, Abu Imad, and took two others with them to an unknown destination, we do not know where. Then they blew up the office, as you see, apparently they put dynamite and then burnt the office from the top." 4.46 15. GV: DAMAGED OFFICE INSIDE THE BUILDING 4.51 16. MCU: MAN CLEANING SMASHED PICTURE OF SHI'ITE CLERIC MOHAMMED BAQIR AL-HAKIM, BROTHER OF ABDUL AZIIZ Al-HAKIM, HEAD OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ (SCIRI) 4.58 17. CU: BLOOD ON GROUND 5.03 18. GV: EXTERIOR OF BLOWN UP OFFICE 5.11 19. CU: BURNT GIANT BILLBOARD CARRYING PICTURE OF ABDUL AZIZ AL-HAKIM ERECTED ON THE BUILDING OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF SADR CITY 5.17 (BN05) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 24, 2005) (REUTERS) 20. MV: DEPUTY HEALTH MINISTER JALEEL AL SHIMMARI GIVING INTERVIEW TO REUTERS 5.21 21. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DEPUTY HEALTH MINISTER JALEEL AL-SHIMMARI, SAYING: "For our part as Sadr trend, we announced the suspension of our work. The health minister, minister of transport, minister of state for civil society, deputy ministers, director generals from the Sadr trend have frozen their work in these ministries and brother members in the National Assembly, the Independent National bloc too, the Sadr bloc at the National Assembly also suspended their membership in the National Assembly until those criminals be put to justice." 5.43 (BN07) BASRA, IRAQ (AUGUST 25, 2005) (REUTERS) 22. GV: GROUP OF MEN STANDING OUTSIDE THE BOMBED-OUT OFFICES OF BADR BRIGADE, WHICH WAS ATTACKED BY MILITIA LOYAL TO CLERIC MOQTADA AL-SADR 5.48 23. CU/GV/PAN: CHARRED BOOKS INSIDE DESTROYED OFFICES; CHARRED REMAINS OF SEATS INSIDE OFFICES; MORE BURNT REMAINS OF BOOKS, PAPERS AND FURNITURE, MEN LOOKING AT DESTRUCTION, VIEW OUT OF BLOWN-OUT WINDOWS (5 SHOTS) 6.22 24. CU/GV: SIGN WITH ARABIC WRITING ON IT, ON FIRE; BURNT TELEVISION SETS AND DESKS; SMOKE RISING OUT OF PILE OF RUBBLE; MAN PICKING UP REMAINS OF SMOULDERING RUBBLE; CHARRED PICTURE ON THE WALL; GROUP OF MEN LOOKING AT DESTRUCTION INSIDE OFFICE, MAN HOLDING GUN (5 SHOTS) 6.47 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAJAF,BAGHDAD,BASRA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA2O1HVFAKW5T6PRQ3HGRZWX1J4
  • Story Text: Iraqi Shi'ite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr demands rival Islamist leader al-Hakim condemn his own followers for attacking Sadr's Najaf offices.



    Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demanded on Thursday (August
    25, 2005) that rival Islamist leader, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, condemn his own followers
    for their part in clashes between the two men's armed supporters overnight.

    But Sadr, who has condemned the Shi'ite-led government's plan to push a
    draft constitution through parliament on Thursday, also had conciliatory words
    for Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, who has called for calm and Shi'ite
    solidarity.

    "I demand that brother Abdul Aziz al-Hakim make an official
    announcement condemning the aggression by his representatives and some
    extremists," Sadr told a news conference in the holy city of Najaf, where
    his followers accused pro-government Badr fighters loyal to Hakim of attacking
    Sadr's Najad office on Wednesday (August 24).

    That sparked violence in Baghdad and Shi'ite towns across southern
    Iraq, involving police, Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and followers of Hakim's
    Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution (SCIRI). At least six people died
    in Najaf, doctors said. Others were badly wounded and taken to hospital with
    severe injuries.

    In Baghdad's slum of Sadr City, outraged followers of the young cleric
    attacked and then blew up an office of a rival group of Badr Brigade.

    Witnesses said a large group of over 100 armed men attacked the office
    with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles, before storming the
    building, setting it on fire and then ringing it with dynamite and blowing it
    up.

    "Apparently they put dynamite and then burnt the office from the
    top," said one of the guards, who was there at the time of the attack.


    The tit-for-tat violence between the rival Shi'ite groups, has had
    political fall-out, with followers of Sadr suspending their memberships in the
    government to protest the Najaf attack. The move comes at a time of political
    crisis in Iraq, with politicians struggling to end their constitutional
    stalemate with Sunni Arabs.

    Twenty-two pro Sadr members of parliament and three senior Cabinet
    officials announced late on Wednesday that they would refuse to perform their
    duties indefinitely. Municipal officials loyal to Sadr in several southern
    cities also issued similar declarations
    Health Minister Jaleel al-Shimmari told Reuters Television the
    politicians would suspend their membership of the National Assembly,
    "Until those criminals be put to justice."
    In the southern city of Basra, more violence flared, when militia loyal
    to Sadr attacked another office of the Badr Brigades.

    Witnesses said that a group of Mehdi Army attacked the building with
    rocket-propelled grenades, setting it on fire.

    The young cleric established a firebrand reputation during two
    uprisings by the Mehdi Army against U.S.-led occupying forces in the south
    last year. It was formally banned after U.S. forces crushed its fighters in
    Najaf a year ago.

    But Sadr remains a significant force and his supporters have been
    jockeying for influence as SCIRI and other Shi'ite parties in the government
    struggle to stave off disillusionment among voters with continued insecurity
    and poverty.


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