Confusion persists over Imam Ali mosque

[mom cat]

Confusion persists over Imam Ali mosque


Saturday 21 August 2004, 1:05 Makka Time, 22:05 GMT


The al-Mahdi Army had controlled the Imam Ali mosque since April

Leading Shia cleric Ayat Allah Ali al-Sistani's aides first confirm, then deny, reports that the Mahdi Army relinquished control of the Imam Ali mosque to religious authorities.

The discrepancy fueled speculation that Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters and intermediaries acting on behalf of both the interim Iraqi government and al-Sistani were engaged in fierce eleventh hour negotiations.

AFP first reported than an al-Sistani spokesman had confirmed that the keys to the mosque were delivered to the leading Shia cleric's office in Najaf.

However, in an interview with Aljazeera, al-Sistani aide Hamid al-Khafaf said no keys had yet been delivered.

Earlier, Iraqi Interior Ministry said police had entered the revered site and taken about 400 al-Mahdi Army militiamen into custody after al-Sadr's aides symbolically handed control of the site to Iraq's senior Shia religious authorities

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6D629FC1-D279-46C3-B539-74F98CCFB299.htm

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1. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=765541