Top Aide to Sistani Fatally Stabbed in Najaf Iraqi Police Take Four Suspects Into Custody

Washington Post ^ | July 21, 2007; 5:04 PM | Megan Greenwell

[bd476]

BAGHDAD, July 21 -- A top aide to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani was stabbed to death in what Sistani's supporters believe was a warning to Iraq's senior Shiite cleric, authorities said Saturday.

Abdullah Falaq was killed Friday in his office, which is adjacent to Sistani's home in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, about 100 miles south of Baghdad, according to an aide to the cleric. Sistani is considered one of the most influential Shiite leaders in Iraq, and Falaq was his chief adviser on matters of Islamic law.

Police said they had taken four suspects into custody. An officer said he could not comment on whether the men are part of any insurgent group. In January, an attempt to assassinate Sistani was foiled during a battle between U.S. and Iraqi military forces and insurgents in Najaf.

A representative from Sistani's office said that he was concerned that an armed attacker had gained entrance to the heavily guarded compound with a weapon and that he suspects one of the cleric's bodyguards had aided the killer. He said officials close to Sistani interpreted the attack as a threat to the ayatollah and are considering moving him out of Najaf.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said American troops fired missiles and dropped a bomb on a house from which suspected insurgents had been firing in northeast Baghdad. Six insurgents were killed, the military said. Iraqi police said at least 18 civilians were also killed, but the U.S. military reported no other casualties.

Scenes on Iraqi television stations showed several women and children who reporters said were wounded in the airstrike. Those reports could not be independently verified.

The military also reported that a U.S. soldier was killed by a roadside bomb...

[bd476]

Thanks for the link, Jedward!

[golfisnr1]

Al Sadr taking out his competition?

[bd476]

Iraqi soldiers handcuff a suspect during a house-to-house search for al-Qaida fighters in the eastern part of Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, July 21, 2007, as American and Iraqi forces continued operations to clear Sunni extremists from the city. Photo Credit: AP Photo

[jedward]

No prob...not too often Sistani’s name pops up.

[Cindy]

I saw that and thank you for the ping bd476.

[jedward]

Sistani’’s official for financial affairs assassinated in Najaf

Military and Security 7/21/2007 11:49:00 AM

BAGHDAD, July 21 (KUNA) — Sheikh Abdullah Falak, the official responsible for the financial affairs of Iraq’s supreme Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, was found dead in his house a few hours after his assassination, Iraqi police said on Saturday.

A police source told KUNA unknown armed men stormed Falak’s house located in Al-Baraq around 50 meters from Al-Sistani’s house and stabbed him to death before fleeing the scene. (end) mhg.hm KUNA 211149 Jul 07NNNN

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1829155&Language=en

***Note: His responsibilities conflict with para 2) in the WP story.

[bd476]

jedward wrote: "...***Note: His responsibilities conflict with para 2) in the WP story"

Kuwait News Agency would probably be the better source. If Sheikh Falak was in charge of "financial affairs" then his murder may have something to do with bookkeeping/money problems.

Great find Jedward. Thanks!

WP: "...Sistani is considered one of the most influential Shiite leaders in Iraq, and Falaq was his chief adviser on matters of Islamic law."

versus

Kuwait News Agency: "...Sheikh Abdullah Falak, the official responsible for the financial affairs of Iraq’s supreme Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani..."

[jedward]

Seems he was assasinated (my choice of wording) yesterday, but found in his office today.

[bd476]

Ping.

Thanks to Jedward's research, we've learned that Sheikh Falak was either the man in charge of the Cleric's finances or he was chief adviser on matters of Islamic law or maybe both. It depends on whether you believe the Washington Post or Kuwait News Agency:

WP: "...Sistani is considered one of the most influential Shiite leaders in Iraq, and Falaq was his chief adviser on matters of Islamic law."

versus

Kuwait News Agency: "...Sheikh Abdullah Falak, the official responsible for the financial affairs of Iraq’s supreme Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani..."

[browardchad]

Iraqi police said at least 18 civilians were also killed, but the U.S. military reported no other casualties.

Scenes on Iraqi television stations showed several women and children who reporters said were wounded in the airstrike. Those reports could not be independently verified.

Well, golly, where would we be without a claim that any US attack, anywhere, anytime, for whatever reason, in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, is automatically responsible for killing women and children, as dutifully reported with a staight face by the US and Iraqi media and the Iraqi police?

[jedward]

Sistani aide killed in Iraq

NAJAF — An official working for Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani has been murdered by an assailant in the Iraqi city of Najaf, a local police chief said yesterday. Brigadier General Abdul Karim Mustafa said Shaikh Abdullah Falak was stabbed to death and that police were now hunting for the killer. “His body was found in his office on Al Rasool street,” Mustafa said, referring to an area of Najaf which houses the offices of many other religious leaders, including Moqtada al Sadr. A source at Sistani’s office said Falak used to handle all the legal issues for the leader in Najaf and that he was attacked on Friday inside the office. “An unknown person holding a knife stabbed Falak in the back,” he said. Falak died on the way to hospital, he added.

http://www.omanobserver.com/Daily/World/World2.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several versions of events on this one. Now he died on the way to the hospital, which means he was found alive, not dead several hours later...according to the Oman Observer (shaking head). Also, this “source” claims the wounds were to the back. Definately had some help from someone inside...

[bd476]

The comment

"An unknown person holding a knife stabbed Falak in the back,"

sounds as if the writer is saying that he was betrayed by someone.

"Falak died on the way to hospital, he added."

sounds as if they want the assailant to believe that Falak may have talked and identified his murderer before he died.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Also, this “source” claims the wounds were to the back. Definately had some help from someone inside...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe he trusted the wrong person behind his back,,,

[BlackVeil]

There has been another assassination of a Sistani aide today - I just posted the article.

A drive by shooting - he is already buried - they had pictures of the funeral.

Najaf must be very on edge.