• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Iraq Sunni clerics blame Shi'ite clerics for unrest

Posted on: Thursday, 23 February 2006, 09:06 CST

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's leading Sunni Muslim religious organization blamed top Shi'ite clerics on Thursday for fuelling sectarian tension in which dozens of Sunni Arabs have been killed over the past 24 hours.

"The Muslim Clerics Association points the finger of blame at certain Shi'ite religious authorities for calling for demonstrations," said spokesman Sheikh Abdul Salam al-Qubaisi.

His comments appeared to be rare criticism of Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who called for protests on Wednesday over the bombing of a Shi'ite shrine in the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad. Sistani also called for restraint and said Sunni mosques should not be attacked.

Qubaisi softened his attack on the Shi'ite religious authorities toward the end of his news conference but criticised the general Shi'ite population for not heeding Sistani's calls for restraint.

"He said taking over Sunni mosques was forbidden ... I think that some listen to Sistani only when it suits them.

"Why didn't I see these people rise up against the Americans when they attacked the shrine of Imam Ali," he added, referring to a Shi'ite shrine in Najaf damaged in 2004 fighting between U.S. forces and those of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Dozens of people, mostly minority Sunnis, were killed in Baghdad and elsewhere after attackers blew up the Golden Mosque, a major Shi'ite shrine in Samarra on Wednesday, police said.

Dozens of Sunni mosques were also attacked in revenge the same day and Shi'ite militias took to the streets.

Qubaisi urged Sadr to calm his armed supporters, who have been roaming the streets of Baghdad and appear to have been at the forefront of the violence.

"I call on Moqtada al-Sadr to interfere because some matters are linked to his group," he said.

Sadr is well-respected by some Sunni leaders for his anti-U.S. stance.

Source: REUTERS

More News in this Category