Posted on 07/15/2004 6:09:28 AM PDT by TexKat
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Attackers blew up five alcohol stores along a street in a Christian district of Baghdad overnight, the latest in a series of such strikes by suspected Muslim radicals.
The attacks devastated stockpiles of liquor and damaged other shops nearby but did not cause any injuries, witnesses and staff said Thursday.
Shopkeepers were hard at work trying to repair the damage, pulling shards of metal out of their store fronts and sweeping pieces of broken glass from the pavement, an AFP correspondent reported.
Witnesses confirmed that five liquor stores were targeted in the attack along Al-Thariba avenue at about 11 pm (1900 GMT) and accused the police of doing little to try to stop the onslaught.
"The operation was carried out by an organised group. Loud explosions revereberated around the neighbourhood for two or three minutes," said local resident Najim Abdallah.
"The windows of my house collapsed inwards and I spotted two armed men fleeing the scene," Abdallah said, adding: "My two-year-old son was badly traumatised and left unable to say anything for two hours."
Al-Thariba street is a busy shopping avenue in the southeast Baghdad with middle class families living above the stores, which sell a range of goods from mobile phones to fruit and vegetables.
Ibraz Abu Salam is an alcohol seller on the street whose store escaped the attack, but he said the impact was equally devastating.
"I have closed my shop and I am not going to open it again," Salam said. "I do not know what I am going to do anymore to learn a living."
Radical Muslims disapprove of the alcohol trade and attacks against liquor stores, typically owned by Christians, in Iraq have increased in recent weeks.
Muslim gunmen sprayed bullets and lobbed grenades at an alcohol shop in central Baghdad last Sunday before kidnapping the owner's brother-in-law, while police at the time said four other similar attacks had happened that week.
On July 10, in the restive city of Baquba northwest of Baghdad, four liquor stores were blown up almost simultaneously. One of the attacks killed a passerby.
Your son is doing what where?
Amen!
You didn't know that Baghdad was a top resort spot?
I worked a lot of years to advance to living in a trailer park in Baghdad.
I can just picture 'Captain Jack Sparrow' from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" standing outside a liquor store saying "But why the rum?".
In other news, Teddy Kennedy has done an abrubt about-face and decided that more U.S. troops need to be sent into Iraq pronto.
What the hell does," Jabba K " mean? Scotch/water must be alluding to himself. He is a pathetic excuse for a man and catholic. Teddy boy, you can never say enough, Hail Mary's to get your bloated self in the Promise Land. Totally unfit for for the perk as a US Senator. Smile, God Loves The Infantry. Bush/Cheney 2004.
Good time for a quote from the movie "Curse of the Black Pearl" - - - After Elizabeth blew up the rum stash
"Why is the rum gone?" (Jack Sparrow)
"One: It is a despicable drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. And two: I've created a column of smoke that rises a thousand feet in the air. My father's ships will be combing the area. Do you think there is even a chance they won't see it?" (Elizabeth)
".... but why is the rum gone?" (Jack Sparrow)
Wasting perfectly good liquor, if that's not a violation of international law the Geneva Convention needs to be amended!
NOOOOOOOOOOO......!!!!
Booze bad........murder good. Yeah, that makes sense.
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