IRAQ: GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE VISITS BAGHDAD'S KADHIMIYA MOSQUE AFTER FIFTY EIGHT PEOPL KILLED IN EXPLOSION / DEMONSTRATION.

Record ID: 648435

  • Title: IRAQ: GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE VISITS BAGHDAD'S KADHIMIYA MOSQUE AFTER FIFTY EIGHT PEOPL KILLED IN EXPLOSION / DEMONSTRATION.
  • Date: 3rd March 2004
  • Summary: (U3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MARCH 3, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: OF GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE (GREY BEARD AND SUIT) ARRIVING AT KADHIMIYA MOSQUE. (3 SHOTS) 0.19 2. MV/SCU: OF RUBAIE BEING SHOWN DAMAGE TO MOSQUE CAUSED BY THE EXPLOSION. (2 SHOTS) 0.35 3. SCU: MEN STANDING IN THE STREET, WATCHING. 0.39 4. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBAIE SAYING: "This is a tragedy. This is a true terrorism, because it's indiscriminate killing against innocent civilians, people who are celebrating their (Ashura) festival. This is the most sacred place in Iraq, and the most sacred day in the. ..during the calendar of the Shia. And these terrorists - Zarkawi and his gangs - have committed a crime. The Iraqi people will never rest unless they (the Iraqis) bring Zarkawi to prison." 1.14 5. TRACK: RUBAIE WALKING IN THE STREET. 1.18 6. WS: OF PROTEST DENOUNCING THE ATTACKS / PROTESTERS CHANTING "WITH OUR BLOOD AND SOUL WE SACRIFICE OURSELVES FOR YOU HUSSEIN (GRANDSON OF PROPHET MOHAMMAD) 1.23 7. SCU: RUBAIE CHANTING IN PROTEST. 1.29 8. TRACK: PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH RUBAIE IN THE MIDDLE OF CROWD. 1.39 9. WS: OF PROTESTERS FROM AL-SADR CITY REGION OF BAGHDAD RUNNING TOWARDS SHRINE TO DENOUNCE ATTACKS. OTHERS CHANTING. (7 SHOTS) 2.23 10. WS: OF THE SAME PROTESTERS CHANTING "NO, NO, AMERICA" 2.29 11. LAS: U.S. HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD. 2.31 12. WS: OF DEMONSTRATION / U.S. HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD. 2.38 13. VARIOUS: OF COFFIN BEING CARRIED FROM MOSQUE IN FUNERAL PROCESSION. (2 SHOTS) 3.00 14. SCU: WOMAN IN CROWD. 3.04 15. VARIOUS: OF COFFIN BEING CARRIED / MEN CHANTING. (2 SHOTS) 3.29 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th March 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAAMLOCAJ4EHQMNVZN98C59OSNE
  • Story Text: Governing Council member Mowaffak al-Rubaie has
    visited Baghdad's Kadhimiya mosque where at least 58 people
    were killed in explosions.



    Governing council member Mowaffak al-Rubaie arrived
    at Baghdad's Kadhimiya mosque on Wednesday (March 3) where
    at least 58 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in
    explosions on Tuesday (March 2) morning.

    The city's holiest Shi'ite mosque was hit as large
    crowds gathered to mark Ashura, the 10th day of the month
    of Muharram when, according to tradition, Imam Hussein,
    grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, was killed in battle more
    than 13 centuries ago.

    Rubaie was shown the destruction caused to the mosque
    and he condemned the attack.

    "This is a tragedy. This is a true terrorism, because
    it's indiscriminate killing against innocent civilians,
    people who are celebrating their (Ashura) festival. This is
    the most sacred place in Iraq, and the most sacred day in
    the ..during the calendar of the Shia. And these terrorists
    - Zarkawi and his gangs - have committed a crime. The Iraqi
    people will never rest unless they (the Iraqis) bring
    Zarkawi to prison," Rubaie said.

    The Iraqi Governing Council on Tuesday blamed Abu Musab
    Zarqawi, a Jordanian whom Washington suspects of working
    for al Qaeda, for the attacks.

    The U.S. military in Iraq said previously they had
    intercepted a computer disc with a letter from Zarqawi
    which it said urged suicide bombings against Shi'ites in a
    bid to spark civil war. However, the military said it
    currently had no information on who was behind Tuesday's
    attacks.

    In an apparently coordinated attack, at least five
    explosions shook Kerbala, a holy city where more than two
    million Shi'ites from Iraq, Iran and further afield had
    gathered. Clerics said 112 people had been killed and more
    than 200 wounded.

    Thousands of Shi'ite followers of hardline Shi'ite
    cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday arrived from Baghdad's
    Sadr City region for a protest denouncing Tuesday's attack.

    Earlier, hundreds had piled into trucks and buses and
    driven through the city to the mosque waving flags and
    pictures of al-Sadr and his father, top Shi'ite cleric
    Muhammed Baqer al-Sadr.

    Iraq's top Shi'ite leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on
    Tuesday blamed the Americans for the attacks, criticising
    them for failing to provide enough security, but called
    upon Iraqis to remain united and not to allow insurgents to
    foment ethnic problems between Sunnis and Shi'ites, Arabs,
    Kurds, Assyrians and Turkmen.

    "No, no America", the protesters chanted outside the
    shrine.

    Funerals continued, meanwhile, with a continuing stream
    of processions beginning from the mosque.

    A three day period of national mourning has been
    declared.
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