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Iraqi-Jordanian Tension Over the Most Lethal Suicide Bombing in Iraq
MEMRI ^ | March 29, 2005 | Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli

Posted on 03/29/2005 2:46:20 PM PST by Marguerite

Since the fall of the Saddam regime in April 2003, Iraq has been victimized by hundreds of acts of terrorism, most of it perpetrated by foreign terrorists who have crossed Iraq's porous borders. The most lethal terrorist act was carried out on February 28, 2005, by a suicide bomber who detonated a car bomb in the predominantly Shi'ite City of Hilla, sixty miles south of Baghdad. The bomb exploded in front of a health office in a busy bazaar where new recruits to the police and armed forces were waiting to apply for health certificates, which are a prerequisite to applying for government jobs in Iraq. The bomb killed 132 people and injured 120. A fireman, 'Ammar al-'Aani, who took part in the rescue operation, found the terrorist's hands chained to the steering wheel and a charred copy of the Koran in the car. [1]

Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi's "Al-Qa'ida Organization in the Land of Two Rivers" took responsibility for the act.

The Wedding of the Martyr This horrific act would have been simply charted in Iraqi terrorist statistics as another act of terrorism were it not for "a social event" that shed light on the perpetrator himself and on his family. On March 11, 2005, newspapers reported that the terrorist was Raid Mansour al-Banna from the City of al-Salt in Jordan. According to his father, Raid had studied and worked a number of years in the United States, "in one of the Californian airports, to be exact." [2] He was 32 when he blew himself up.

(Excerpt) Read more at memri.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hilla; iraq; martyrsiniraq
What riled the Iraqis the most was that al-Banna's family honored his act by holding a festive ceremony known as "the wedding of the martyr" [ 'irs al-shahid ] to symbolize his wedding in paradise with 72 virgins. At these events, the bereaved family receives guests who offer it condolences and congratulations for their son's martyrdom. A truck was seen on television bringing food to a special tent erected to receive the guests. [3] In justifying the celebration, the family argued that the victims were Americans. In fact, there was no American casualty in this operation.
1 posted on 03/29/2005 2:46:20 PM PST by Marguerite
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Not satisfied with the festivities his family organized in honor of his terrorist brother, Naseer al-Banna published a letter on the internet praising Raid and wished him pleasant days in heaven alongside his grandfather Hassan al-Banna. He was puzzled as to why the Iraqis were calling his brother a terrorist.

In his letter, Naseer labeled the Shi'a as "American and Jewish agents." He claimed that the Shi'a religion was created by Jews and the Shi'a killed Prophet Mohammad's grandson, al-Imam Hussein whom the Shi'a consider the greatest martyr in Islamic history.

The brother concluded his letter by stating his intention to join the Jihad against the Americans, the Jews, and the Shi'a.

Comment: I came to the conclusion that these people are nuts.


2 posted on 03/29/2005 2:54:59 PM PST by Marguerite
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To: Marguerite
very enlightening article... the best points about the ongoing bitterness between the new Iraqi Govt and the Jordanians is in the last few paragraphs. Thanks for sharing this one.
3 posted on 03/29/2005 3:14:20 PM PST by hford02 (Terry Schiavo - even Jesse Jackson finally got one right)
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To: Marguerite

I suggest that such celebrations are legitimate military targets.
Their sole purpose is to glorify terrorists and recruit more. The people who attend them most likely fund, and would likely be willing to arm and assist terrorists.
My only concern would be kids dragged their by their parents. On the other hand, 12 year olds have performed suicide attack in Israel and the Hitler Youth fought well.
Any thoughts?


4 posted on 03/29/2005 3:23:21 PM PST by FierceKulak
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To: FierceKulak

"I suggest that such celebrations are legitimate military targets"

Agreed, but we are too civilized to bomb the hell out of the celebrational ululements ;-(


5 posted on 03/29/2005 3:29:06 PM PST by Marguerite
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To: Marguerite
Hmmm. Why do you suppose that all of these 'martyrdom' speeches talk about 72 virgins only? The Koran says that there will be a gigantic bed with 100 fresh sheets, upon which will be reclining 72 "everfresh" virgins ... and 28 "everfresh" young boys.

they seem to leave the last part out pretty consistently.

6 posted on 03/29/2005 4:07:05 PM PST by America's Resolve (BE PATRIOTIC! MAKE AN EXTRA BABY (OR TWO!))
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To: Marguerite
found the terrorist's hands chained to the steering wheel and a charred copy of the Koran in the car.

Yet another volunteer for allah.

Nuts indeed.

7 posted on 03/29/2005 4:08:59 PM PST by America's Resolve (BE PATRIOTIC! MAKE AN EXTRA BABY (OR TWO!))
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To: America's Resolve

The majority of the wannabe homocide bombers, caught by the Israeli forces before committing their deadly deeds, were found to be drugged.


8 posted on 03/29/2005 4:12:08 PM PST by Marguerite
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