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Africa North

Mali: Islamists destroy entrance to ancient Timbuktu mosque

2012-07-03

[Al Ahram] Mali's beturbanned fascisti smashed the entrance of a 15th century Timbuktu mosque on Monday, escalating a campaign of destruction of the city's cultural treasures despite threats of prosecution for war crimes.
Some residents sobbed as the Islamist gunnies broke down the 'sacred door' of one of the northern Malian city's three ancient mosques after they wrecked seven tombs of Moslem saints over the weekend.

Exclusive video footage obtained by AFP shows turbaned men chanting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great) while smashing a mausoleum with pick-axes in a cloud of dust, the mud-brick tomb showing gaping holes in the side with rubble piling up alongside it.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the destruction, saying in a statement the sites were "part of the rich Islamic heritage of Mali and should not be allowed to be destroyed by ... bigoted bad turban elements."

Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) believe the shrines to be idolatrous and have threatened to destroy any mosques housing the remains of the ancient saints, prompting an outcry from government and the international community.

"The Islamists have just destroyed the door to the entrance of the Sidi Yahya mosque... they tore the sacred door off which we never open," said a resident of the town on Monday morning.

A former tour guide in the once-popular tourist destination said: "They came with pick-axes, they cried 'Allah' and broke the door. It is very serious. Some of the people watching began crying."

Another man, a relative of a local imam (religious leader), said he had spoken to members of Ansar Dine, which occupied the city and the rest of northern Mali in the chaos following a coup in Bamako three months ago.

"Some said that the day this door is opened it will be the end of the world and they wanted to show that it is not the end of the world."

The door on the south end of the mosque has been closed for centuries due to local beliefs that to open it will bring misfortune.

It leads to a tomb of saints, however the Islamists appeared unaware of this as one witness said if they had known "they would have broken everything."

According to the website of the UN cultural agency (UNESCO) Sidi Yahya is one of Timbuktu's three great mosques and was built around 1400, dating back to the city's golden age as a desert crossroads and centre for learning.

Posted by:Fred

#11 BUT, it is Mali's problem, not our problem

Do you think we don,t have Special Forces over there advising and training and such, Alaska Paul? Not to mention wandering off to explore odd little nooks and crannies during their off hours?

Posted by: trailing wife 2012-07-03 18:45

#10 The veneer of civilization is very thin. The Ansar Dine needed to be hunted down like mad dogs. BUT, it is Mali's problem, not our problem. If Mali thinks that their 500+ year old cultural treasures are worth saving, then they better get with the program.

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2012-07-03 16:23

#9 Start the countdown to the destruction of Karnak.

Posted by: AlanC 2012-07-03 14:49

#8 Saudi funding these salifi groups?

Posted by: Fester Clunter7205 2012-07-03 14:35

#7 A former tour guide in the once-popular tourist destination said: "They came with pick-axes, they cried 'Allah' and broke the door. It is very serious. Some of the people watching began crying."

Seems that Timbuktu is racing Cairo to the bottom of the "former tourist destination" barrel, eh? Nah, no linky there between those 2 (former) great cities, eh?

Posted by: BA 2012-07-03 14:24

#6 "Xenu Akbar!"

Posted by: Frank G 2012-07-03 14:05

#5 The most base of the savages rule. That seems to be the muzzie way. The rest seem powerless or unwilling to stop them. A cult of death and destruction. Somehow I think islam and scientology are linked. L. Ron Hubbard as big Mo?

Posted by: remoteman 2012-07-03 13:39

#4 I'm still waiting for a news item like this: "They came with pick-axes, they cried 'Allah' and broke the door. Then they disintegrated in a hail of bullets from disgruntled Muslims who expressed strong disagreement with the beliefs and methods of the ax-wielders."

Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2012-07-03 13:02

#3 These idiots pi$$ me off no end. It takes no brains to destroy something. Perfect for them, I guess.

Posted by: gorb 2012-07-03 11:58

#2 It's Islamic fundamentalists attacking locals who wear their cultural inheritance more lightly.

Posted by: lotp 2012-07-03 10:36

#1 Nice to see the Islamics hit their own.
Do it again, and leave us alone, More death for ya.

Posted by: Redneck Jim 2012-07-03 07:35

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