'They are trying to ignite a civil war'

Shia leaders blame Iraqi bombings on Sunni militants

Brian Whitaker and agencies
Monday December 20, 2004
The Guardian

Iraqi Shia leaders appealed to their supporters to show restraint yesterday after two deadly blasts targeted their religious centres in an apparent attempt to trigger civil war.
The attacks in the sacred Shia cities of Najaf and Kerbala came just over an hour apart and left at least 60 people dead and more than 120 wounded.

In Najaf, a car bomb exploded in the central square where a crowd had gathered for the funeral of a tribal sheikh, about 100 metres from where the governor, Adnan al-Zurufi, and police chief, Ghalib al-Jazaari, were standing.

Both men were unhurt, but 48 people were killed and 90 wounded. It was the deadliest single bombing in Iraq for five months.

Mr Jazaari said he believed that he and Mr Zurufi were the intended targets.


Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'They are trying to ignite a civil war'