Seven people were killed and 45 wounded in fighting on Tuesday in Iraq's central holy city of Najaf, where a mortar round exploded inside Shiite Islam's holiest shrine, medics said.
The upper part of one of the main gold-covered gates leading to the tomb of revered Shiite Imam Ali was damaged and rubble strewn on the blood-stained floor of the shrine.
article
The upper part of one of the main gold-covered gates leading to the tomb of revered Shiite Imam Ali was damaged and rubble strewn on the blood-stained floor of the shrine.
One of the most sacred Shia sites in Iraq was today damaged in clashes between US forces and fighters loyal to the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
...Imam Ali was the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and is the most revered saint among Shia Muslims.
article
...Imam Ali was the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and is the most revered saint among Shia Muslims.
Don your armor, Christian soldiers.
Update 1:30 pm: The New York Times says it was just a scratch, and General Kimmitt says we didn't do it - Sadr did it himself to try to make us look bad.
The military official, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, said the damage to the holy site could have been caused by clashes between two different militant factions inside the city or by forces loyal to the militant cleric Moktada al-Sadr "to try to provoke outrage so they could blame it on the coalition forces."
The general added: "We just can't tell you how much we decry the attempts by Moktada's militia, Moktada possibly himself, to violate the sacred holy shrines of the Shia religion for his own personal gain, for his own personal advancement."
The general added: "We just can't tell you how much we decry the attempts by Moktada's militia, Moktada possibly himself, to violate the sacred holy shrines of the Shia religion for his own personal gain, for his own personal advancement."
There goes Kimmitt again.
We're a stupid, gullible lot here, aren't we?
