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Iraqi Defence Minister Says Muslim Scholars Leader's House Not Targeted

Posted on: Saturday, 25 February 2006, 15:00 CST

Al-Jazeera Television at 1225 gmt on 25 February 2005 carries in progress a news conference from Baghdad given by Iraqi Defence Minister Sa'dun al-Dulaymi and Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Sulagh. The news conference dwells on the recent surge of violence in Iraq following the "terrorist bombing" of the Shi'i shrine in Samarra on 22 February.

At the outset, Defence Minister Sa'dun al-Dulaymi denies there was deliberate shooting at the house of Shaykh Harith al-Dari, head of the Association of Muslim Scholars. He notes that unidentified armed men opened fire on mourners in a funeral procession while passing from the neighbourhood where Shaykh Al-Dari lives. He goes on to say that the security personnel escorting the mourners and Al- Arabiya TV team returned fire, noting that two security elements were killed and five others were critically wounded in the shootout. Al-Dulaymi goes on to say that a booby-trapped car exploded near the convoy of the commander of the Defence Ministry's third brigade following the funeral procession, killing him and wounding five other soldiers.

"Those who committed this act wanted to tarnish the reputation of this national symbol [Harith al-Dari]. I am sure he does not approve of this," Al-Dulaymi stressed.

Al-Dulaymi denies that Al-Dari's house was set on fire following the car bomb blast. Commenting, he says: "I received phone calls from some people claiming that the house of Shaykh Harith al-Dari was set on fire", adding that he was told that the Interior Ministry's commandos set the house on fire with the people inside. Downplaying such reports, he says: "An hour ago, I sent an officer whom I trust, and my brother, the interior minister, sent another to verify this information. It seems that gunshots were fired at the outside wall of the house during the shoot-out."

He adds: "The exaggeration in such reports by some media outlets does not serve the current situation in Iraq. On the contrary, it contributes to fanning the fire of sedition and incitement."

He goes on to say that media reports on the number of mosques that were set on fire and the civilians who were killed over the past three days following the bombing of the Shi'i shrine in Samarra were much exaggerated.

He notes that the number of mosques "that came under fire or were slightly damaged" according to the Defence Ministry's statistics were 21, compared to 51 as reported by media outlets. He discloses that the mosques that were "totally destroyed" according to media reports are three "but, according to our information and checks, only one mosque was totally destroyed". He goes on to say that a total of six mosques, compared to 23 as reported by media outlets, had sustained damage over the past three days.

"You have heard that some mosques were captured by other parties. This, of course, is something that we categorically reject," he says. He dismisses reports on the number of mosques that were seized as baseless, saying: "Only one mosque was seized, which is the Al- Nida neighbourhood mosque, and it was vacated two days ago."

He adds that, according to the Defence Ministry's statistics, a total of 119 civilians were confirmed dead over the past three days compared to 183 as announced by media outlets.

"The government, whose duty is to maintain law, order and stability, did not target civilians. On the contrary, it defended civilians against terrorists," he notes.

Reporting on other security "breaches," he says that two suicide bombings, including today's bombing in Karbala, were carried out over the past three days.

The defence minister then gives the floor to Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Sulagh, who takes reporters' questions. Shortly afterwards, Al-Jazeera ends its live relay of the 12-minute news conference.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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