Posted on 04/05/2004 5:05:51 AM PDT by kattracks
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A prominent Shi'ite, whose arrest by U.S.-led coalition forces stoked violent protests across Iraq (news - web sites), is in Iraqi custody and will be tried for complicity in the murder of a top cleric last year.
Interior Ministry officials said Monday that an Iraqi judge had issued a warrant for the arrest of Mustapha Yacoubi, an aide to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, last autumn.
"Yacoubi is in Iraqi police custody charged with complicity in the murder of Ayatollah Abdul Majid al-Khoei, one of Iraq's leading advocates for human rights," said Deputy Chief Constable Douglas Brand, the British adviser to the interior ministry.
"He awaits trial in an Iraqi court."
Coalition forces detained Yacoubi at his Najaf home on Saturday. Sadr supporters protested across Iraq Sunday, and clashed with security forces in several cities. At least 48 Iraqis, eight American soldiers and one Salvadoran were killed.
Khoei was hacked to death at a Najaf mosque in April 2003 by a mob which also killed one of his aides. Senior clerics at the time blamed the killings on a group linked to Sadr. Sadr's group denied the charge.
Thirteen other suspects were taken into custody in relation to the murder. Brand said several more warrants had been served, but would not say whether one of those was for Sadr himself.
Sadr is a young cleric virulently opposed to the U.S. occupation. He has massive support, especially among poor urban Shi'ites.
His supporters have staged demonstrations in the past week to protest the closure of a militant pro-Sadr newspaper which the U.S.-led authority accused of inciting violence.
Deputy Interior Minister Hussein Kamal said the paper's closure and Yacoubi's arrest were unrelated.
Khoei was killed by a mob at Imam Ali Shrine, days after returning to Najaf from exile when U.S. forces took control. Supporters said he was helping Americans restore order in the city, 100 miles south of Baghdad.
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But Sheik Yerbouti continues to be mourned by Western music fans . . . |
...Shiekh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani spoke to reporter Shabuddin on events expected in the future, including the expected Islamic savior whose appearance will save the world and convert the masses to the religion of Islam:
"As believers of the traditions, we believe in a savior who will come first, before Jesus Christ. We have in our traditions his name, which is Muhammad d'ul Mahdi [as in Sadr's Army of Mahdi]. He is coming but his arrival will be a after a great war. It will be the fight of the big powers with each other. And in that war, the savior will come like a divine hand from heaven to stop the war.
We know that his world is being prepared for huge appearances. In a short while there will be a common change, physical and then spiritually. Time is now over. All nations and all mankind are being prepared for something that is approaching soon. These are huge events - unexpected, huge events."
He referred to an interesting Islamic traditon related to where the future Islamic savior is believed to be hiding.
"There will a great war break out between the East and the West. There will strong fighting. Many people will be killed. Then the Lord will command al-Mahdi Alaihi as-Salam to appear."
Many Muslims, especially from the Shiite branch, believe the Mahdi is being protected and supernaturally preserved in an empty desert area in Arabia, or in Iraq.
Sadr has formed the Army of Mahdi to bring about the appearance of the Mahdi.
Support Free Republic, using belly girl as fundraiser, lol.
I might suggest that he (I'm assuming) add the favorite of some female Freepers on the OIF threads...
...."Ceegar man."
Interior Ministry officials said Monday that an Iraqi judge had issued a warrant for the arrest of Mustapha Yacoubi, an aide to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, last autumn.
"Yacoubi is in Iraqi police custody charged with complicity in the murder of Ayatollah Abdul Majid al-Khoei, one of Iraq's leading advocates for human rights," said Deputy Chief Constable Douglas Brand, the British adviser to the interior ministry.
"He awaits trial in an Iraqi court."
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Justice, ping!
how kind of the sheik to point to where the bullet goes.
The Mahdi, Islam's Messiah, page 87
Why would Islamic radicals select this present time to target the United States? Part of the explanation may be the prophetic timing of certain Islamic traditions. According to Sheik Nazim, he met the 39th sheik in the Golden Chain that began with the Prophet Mohammed 50 years ago in Damascus, Syria. Presently, this chain is in the 40th generation, and the Muslims believe that the Mahdi is the descendant of the Holy Prophet (Sal) from the 40th generation.
This prophetic expectation is causing excitement among many Muslims. It is breeding anticipation that the great hour of Islam lies just over the horizon. Ayatollah Janati, a leading Islamic cleric in the Iranian government, has stated several times: "The 21st century will be the century of Islam."
In Israel, an Arab friend whose family is Muslim told me of a tradition he had heard for years. One of the traditions of Mohammed is that when tall buildings begin to fall to the ground, it is a sign of the last days and the Mahdi will soon appear.
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