A heated internet debate has developed among militant Sunnis over the tactic of murdering large numbers of Shia civilians. The outcome of the website exchanges could be crucial in deciding whether Iraq can pull back from the brink of civil war.The discussions were prompted by a bomb attack last Saturday that killed at least 66 people in the Baghdad slum district of Sadr City. A statement claiming responsibility gave a sense of the bitterness felt by many Sunnis, now an angry minority in a country they used to dominate. It said the bombing was carried out in response to the actions of Shia militias - the Mahdi Army, which dominates Sadr, and the Badr Brigade - which are accused of abducting and killing hundreds of Sunnis. The statement, issued in the name of the hitherto-unknown Supporters of the Sunni People, said: "A day or two later their bodies are found in the streets after suffering various forms of torture, from the breaking of limbs, perforation by electric drills, burning with acid, gouging out their eyes and fingernails. Even after torturing them they do not give them a swift death by shooting them but leave them to die a slow death."
A contributor called Wahm said: "Those infidels, traitors and slaves of the English who wished ill on the [Sunni] Muslims, God has destroyed them and made them booty for the mujahideen."
But a contributor called Mo2 said: "Whoever committed this act wants to ignite the sectarian crisis again. The occupier [America] will not be ousted by our fighting one another. Target the killers only and do not target civilians just because they are Shia."
Mo2's views were shared by Kattan: "If they are oppressors and killers, we do not have to be like them."
Stung by such liberal sentiments, Abu Mohammad, who posted the original message, hit back angrily: "This is just the beginning. The punishment will continue until the last dirty cockroach is slaughtered."
If such sentiments prevail, more deadly attacks are inevitable. So too is further action by the powerful Shia militias.