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Iraq Cleric Survives Assassination Attempt
Too bad, this guy needs killin’
Iraq’s most powerful Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (search), survived an assassination attempt on Thursday. According to a security official who spoke to the news service, gunmen opened fire on al-Sistani’s entourage. "At 10 o’clock this morning, gunmen opened fire on Ayatollah Sistani as he greeted people in Najaf, but he was not hurt," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Al-Sistani has demanded direct elections to choose a provisional assembly to govern Iraq.
I disagree that he needs killing. As far as holy men go, he's the voice of sweet reason. I'm curious as to whether the gunnies are Baathists, Ansar thugs, or Moqtada's boyz. My initial guess would be Moqtada — using gunnies, who can be beaten until they sing or hopped up with giggle juice, or both, is the sort of dumbass move I'd expect from him. But it's probably too dumb even for him, so it'd be Baathists. Ansar would have used an exploding car or a boomer.

Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-02-05
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=25671