Islamists in Mali renew attacks on Timbuktu tombs

Reuters ^ | 24 Dec 12 | Unattributed

[LSUfan]

Islamist gunmen destroyed several tombs in Timbuktu on Sunday, residents said, days after the United Nations authorised African states to ready a force to take on al Qaeda-linked groups in Mali's northern desert zones.

"Since 0800 (GMT) this morning, the Islamists have been destroying tombs again," Youssouf Toure, a resident of the ancient trading town, told Reuters by telephone.

"(They are) targeting new ones and the ones they destroyed several months ago," he added.

Residents said the attacks on traditional Sufi Islamic shrines were being carried out by about 15 heavily-armed fighters, some weilding pick axes. At least two previously untouched tombs in Timbuktu, a UNESCO world heritage site, were destroyed on Sunday, residents said.

A mix of Islamists with links to al Qaeda have occupied Mali's north since April.

Since then, they have destroyed much of the region's religious heritage and carried out a string of amputations in the name of imposing strict Islamic law on a population that has practised a more moderate form of Islam for centuries.

[LSUfan]

This is how the Taliban started their regime after seizing power in Afghanistan...

[FreeAtlanta]

Islam is a virus that needs to be destroyed.

[FreeAtlanta]

[2banana]

Islam - peace and tolerance!

Except for the infidels or any other version of islam.

[FreeAtlanta]

I heard the locust in Egypt are talking about destroying the pyramids, the sphinx and other historic sites.

[Venturer]

Muslims attacking Muslim tombs. Makes sense I guess Tombs cannot fight back.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks LSUfan. How does this differ from the *graverobbing* done by so-called scientists, blah blah blah, foaming mouth, falling down. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.