'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'

US soldiers conduct a dismounted patrol of an apartment complex in Baghdad. Three Iraqi organisers of next month's landmark elections were gunned down in a Baghdad rebel stronghold as insurgents made good their threat to sabotage the preparations with deadly violence.(AFP/MNF-I) Yahoo! News - Mideast Photos - AFP

Suicide car bomb in Iraq kills 13: "KARBALA, Iraq (AP) - A suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle outside Karbala's main bus station Sunday, killing 13 people and wounding 30, a hospital official said."

In Fresno Bee: Iraq



Car bomb blast reported near Najaf shrine: "NAJAF, Iraq (AP) - Witnesses said a car bomb exploded in Najaf near the revered Imam Ali shrine compound on Sunday and that and ambulances are heading to the area. There was no immediate word on casualties."

In Fresno Bee: Iraq



Mortar rounds strike Sunni mosque: "BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Two mortar rounds struck a hardline Sunni Muslim mosque in Baghdad on Sunday, wounding four security guards, according to a religious leader associated with the mosque."

In Fresno Bee: Iraq



3 Iraqi election workers killed in ambush: "About 30 gunmen ambushed a car Sunday in central Baghdad carrying employees of the Iraqi organization running next month's elections, killing three of the workers while two escaped unhurt, an official from the election body said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Kerbala Car Bomb Kills 12, Many Wounded: "A car bomb exploded in the holyShi'ite city of Kerbala Sunday, killing at least 12 people andwounding more than 30, and insurgents also struck in Baghdad,shooting dead three Election Commission employees."

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Violence in Iraq...Israel agrees to prisoner release...Spammers slammed in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror



Two Egyptians suspected of rebel links freed by US in Iraq: "Two Egyptians working for an Iraqi telecom firm and detained earlier this week over suspected links to anti-US insurgents have been released, a source at the pair's mother company in Cairo said."

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Saudi Arabia executes Iraqi smugglers: "Saudi Arabia Sunday beheaded two Iraqis who had been convicted of smuggling drugs into the kingdom.




[in The US News]"

In The US News: Iraq News



U.S. forces in Iraq release Jordanians: "A Jordanian newspaper reported Sunday U.S. forces in Iraq have released five Jordanian drivers they arrested earlier this month.




[in The US News]"

In The US News: Iraq News



Colombians sign up for security in Iraq: "Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia - Recruiters working for U.S. contractors are hiring former Colombian soldiers - and even luring some active-duty ones - for security jobs in Iraq, says a former arm...




[in Billings Gazette]"

In The US News: Iraq News



in



"Chemical Ali" appears at Saddam hearing: "In this image released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal, Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali," sits prior to his preliminary investigative hearing at an undisclosed courtroom yesterday in Baghdad...




[in The Seattle Times]"

In The US News: Iraq News



Video Threatens Iraqi Hostages: "Iraqi insurgents are threatening to kill 10 Iraqis working for an American company if the firm doesn't leave the country. On an




[in 580 CFRA Radio]"

In The US News: Iraq News