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Posted on 04/08/2003 11:59:55 AM PDT by knighthawk
Tehran, 8 April: A prominent Shi'i cleric on Tuesday [8 April] denied reports that coalition forces had struck holy sites in the cities of Najaf and Karbala in central Iraq.
"This claim that holy sites have been damaged is not true at all," opposition figure, Sayyid Abd al-Majid al-Kho'i, told IRNA from Najaf by telephone.
"Believe me, not a single bullet has hit the wall of the shrine," he said when asked to comment on the speculation that some of the Shi'i holy sites, including the mausoleum of Imam Ali (AS) [peace be upon him] - the first infallible imam of the household of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)- [peace be upon him] in Najaf had been targeted.
The US and Iraq have been trading charges since the American-led invasion began on March 20 over the holy sites in Iraq. The US military has denied striking mosques in Najaf.
Iraqi Information Minister Muhammad Sa'id al-Sahhaf said last Wednesday [2 April] that US-led forces were trying to destroy the mausoleums of Imam Ali (AS) and his martyred son, Imam Husayn (AS) - the third infallible imam in Karbala.
Kho'i had earlier been cited as saying that Iraqi militiamen were using residents in Najaf as "human shields" around holy sites against the invading troops. The cleric, who arrived in Najaf last Tuesday from his usual base in London, told IRNA that life in the holy city was very much back to normal.
"Restaurants, shops and the grand bazaar are currently open and the only problem is the lack of power which force shops to close earlier," he said.
Kho'i described Najaf "very secure and calm", saying the city was completely in the hands of its residents and the last remnants of Iraqi militiamen from the ruling Ba'th party and Saddam's suicide Fedayeen forces in the city had "either gone to hell or been captured or fled".
"Clashes between Iraqi militiamen and coalition forces were limited to the early days after US-led foray into Najaf. But local people's assistance eased up affairs very much after they reported the hide-outs of the criminals to the coalition forces," he said.
Coalition forces control all the city's entrances and exits, he said, adding there is no sign of military presence inside Najaf.
"Running water, which was cut a week ago after the Ba'th forces blew off the main network upon retreat, has been re-linked since Monday morning [7 April]," he added.
The only major problem now is the lack of gas since gas stations have been affected by lack of electricity, which was supplied from Baghdad, Kho'i said.
The city's administration has no order and all state offices are vacated and schools closed, the cleric said, adding local people were running Najaf's affairs.
"Volunteer groups of people from among the tribal heads of Najaf and other prominent figures such as traders, university professors and former state officials have been designated by the citizens to run the city's affairs," he said.
Kho'i said there were no clashes inside Karbala, which lies on a strategic way to Baghdad and that the war went on 25 km outside the holy city on the main road which links the two cities.
Popular uprising in the Shi'i cities of Najaf and Karbala were ruthlessly put out by Saddam Husayn's militiamen in the first Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Gee, how outstanding.......one truthful Muslim!
I wonder if these guys are treated there the same way a Black Conservative is treated here in the US...
I bet these guys many times more honest and effective than our own elected politicians...
Gee, how outstanding.......one truthful Muslim!
Actually quite true. Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had a lengthy op-ed piece on this particular Imam. (by Amir Taheri titled "Shiite Schism")
This Imam is the primer inter pares among Shiite clerics. He issued the very first "Pro-US" fatwa, urging his followers to cooperate with the "liberators - the coalition forces". He said "a free Iraq shall be a living monument to our people's friendship with it's liberators."
This Imam is not well liked in Iran. He actively preaches seperation of church and state. He opposes the idea of clerics ruling as politicians - a philosophy which is at odds with Iran's clerics. Now that Najaf, Shia's most holy city, has been freed, he will have more reeligious power than the ayatollah's of Iran.
He has followers all over the Shia muslim world, a great deal of them in Irann - who are opposing Iran's clergy rule. He is a man who should be cultivated by the U.S.
Iraq's mullahs are opposed to a theocracy in Baghdad. "The clergy is the conscience of society," Ayatollah Sistani has written. "The administrative aspects of society's life must be left to men of politics."
"The truth that America the White Man is not interested in destroying their religion the Black Culture is something the powerful from that region So-called Black Leadership cannot let out of the bag. The cornerstone of Islam power over the black population is paranoia, mind control and conflict. Without these, the religion "Black Leadership" has little value and the trance-like spell being held over these poor ignorant people will be broken. Won't happen, therefore IGNORANCE IS TRUTH.
However, the semi-literate Arab street will instantly condemn him as an American puppet.
What we really need is for a cleric do scream "DEATH TO THE GREAT SATAN -- but he didn't actually attack our shrines!" Then he'll be believed.
I think it has been established that whatever this guys says, you can believe the EXACT OPPOSITE!
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