Posted on 08/31/2005 1:52:08 AM PDT by HAL9000
BAGHDAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Up to 500 people died when a crowd of Iraqi Shi'ites stampeded off a bridge over the River Tigris in Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraq's deputy Health Minister Jalil Al-Shumari told Reuters.The crowd, on its way to the Kadhimiya mosque for an important religious ceremony, panicked as rumours spread that a suicide bomber was preparing to blow himself up.
Earlier at least seven people died in three separate mortar attacks on the crowd.
bttt
the terrorists get them one way or another
just.....damn
ping
Felt sad for them but as of now America has its own problem to focus on..Katrina!... "Ahmed, just mind your own business for now..."
BAGHDAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Up to 500 people died when a crowd of Iraqi Shi'ites stampeded off a bridge over the Tigris river in Baghdad on Wednesday, fleeing rumours of a suicide bombing threat, Iraq's deputy health minister said."So far we have 500 dead," Jalil Al-Shumari, the deputy minister, told Reuters.
The crowd, on its way to the Kadhimiya mosque for an important religious ceremony, panicked as rumours spread that a suicide bomber was preparing to blow himself up.
Earlier at least seven people died in three separate mortar attacks on the crowd.
One hospital said it had received at least 100 bodies by 12:30 (0830 GMT). The hospital source said bodies were being sent to two other nearby hospitals as well.
A crowd of several thousand had been marching through the old Kadhimiya district of northern Baghdad to a major Shi'ite religious ceremony.
The streets leading to the mosque are narrow, making it almost impossible for rescue workers to reach the dead and injured in the packed throng, and raising the possibility that the death toll could rise further, witnesses said.
Tensions have been running high between the main religious and ethnic communities ahead of a referendum on a divisive new constitution for the post-Saddam Hussein era.
The Kadhimiya mosque is a major Shi'ite shrine in an old district of north Baghdad.
The crowd was celebrating the martyrdom of Musa Al-Kadhim, a revered religious figure among Shi'ites.
Explosions were heard across Baghdad on Wednesday morning.
A Reuters correspondent reported hearing six mortar rounds exploding near the international airport, although the U.S. military had no information of any attacks there.
Parliament completed work on the draft text of the constitution on Sunday, but it must be approved by a popular mandate before Oct. 15 to come into force.
Horrible... Terrible..
and in more ways than one.. I'm sure the rats and lsm will be spinning this big time..
Wow! 500 dead from a human stampede? Astounding........
Fox says, 300 and they don't mention anything about a suicide bomber scare.. just that a railing gave way.
The Sunni's have been vindicated!
635 now according to Fox News
This is madness!
It will definitely complicate the mission of our troops. It's nothing to grin about.
DU seems to think it was an air strike
Well, of course they do. But they're all a bunch of jerks.
I go there once in a while during a big event (Death of Reagan, Elections, Disasters etc) and it always seems to be Bush's fault or some huge conspiracy invovling Carl Rove. And they are serious, when we say stuff like that it is sarcastic and meant as a joke.
This couldn't have been Cindy's freedom fighters could it?:->
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4199618.stm
Hundreds dead in Baghdad stampede
Pilgrims began arriving at the mosque several days ago
At least five hundred people have been killed in a stampede in northern Baghdad, Iraqi officials say.
The incident happened on a bridge over the Tigris River as hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims marched as part of an annual religious festival.
It was sparked by rumours of a suicide bomber in a crowd. In the ensuing panic many pilgrims were crushed and some fell into the river.
Mortar rounds had been fired into the crowd earlier, killing seven people.
About 36 others were injured when four mortar round landed close to the Kadhimiya mosque.
So far no group has said it carried out the attack.
It was clearly intended to foment sectarian tensions, the BBC's John Brain in Baghdad says.
Iraqis are currently preparing to vote on a proposed constitution for their country, with Shia and Sunnis sharply divided on its contents.
(snip)
"Many women and children were crying as panic broke out after the attacks," an Iraqi army officer was quoted by the AFP news agency.
Unconfirmed reports say about half of the injured by the mortar rounds were women.
Television pictures showed large crowds of Shia pilgrims gathering at the mosque for the annual commemorative ceremony.
(snip)
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