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| Iraq |
| Iraqis fear al Qaeda violence after mosque bombs |
| 2009-08-02 |
| BAGHDAD, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Iraqis said on Saturday they feared al Qaeda was trying to tip their country back into the sectarian strife that nearly tore it apart two years ago, after a spate of bombs outside five Shi'ite mosques killed 31 people. The bomb blasts, which occurred within minutes of each other on Friday afternoon, apparently targeted the Shi'ite faithful as they gathered for prayers on the Muslim day of rest. At least 130 people were wounded in the attacks. "Why target mosques? Because they want to divide Iraqis, to start a war between the two sects (Sunni and Shi'ite)," said Kafhim Ali, 54, as he shopped in a local vegetable market in Baghdad's upmarket Karrada district. "I will think again before going to Friday prayers." No group claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Shi'ite religious gatherings have often been targets of al Qaeda, whose extreme brand of Sunni Islamism sees Shi'ites as heretics. Many Iraqis fear militants will try to exploit any security gap to try to restart violence. "Qaeda has started to targeting people again because the U.S. forces left the cities. I don't think the security forces are doing well," said Hisham Sabah, 21, himself a policeman, as he stood at a checkpoint in Baghdad. Violence has fallen sharply in the past 18 months, but militants have shown themselves deft at lying low and then springing devastating large-scale attacks. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 Perhaps they were a little hastey in drop kicking us out of the cities? I guess we don't smell like rotten fish after all. |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2009-08-02 14:14 |
| #1 Let the proxy war between Soodia & Iran commence! |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-08-02 03:38 |