Several Explosions near Imam Ali Shrine, Just reported

[YAMMS] ‏@yammsnews110

Najaf: Dhamaka Mizaar K Mardana Hissa Me Huwa Hai, Humen Security Hukam Nay Apni Tahweel Me La Liya Hy: Dr.Firdous Ashiq Awan, Wafaqi Wazeer
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3m BBC Urdu Service BBC Urdu Service ‏@BBCUrduNews

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..
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4m LiveNews01 LiveNews01 ‏@LiveNews011

Najaf me HAZRAT ALI R.A K roze mubarak k qareeb dhamaka.muatadad afrad zakhmi Rpt.tanweer
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4m Azhar Azhar ‏@PEGHAMSMS1

breaking news. iraq. najaf e ashrf me mola ali a.s ky roza e mubarak me zari mubark k samny dhamaka bri tadad me momenen shaheed
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4m RS_NaDaaN_01 RS_NaDaaN_01 ‏@RS_NaDaaN_01

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali R.A Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Details Watch Geo News #
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5m Wahdat_News Wahdat_News ‏@Wahdat_News

Live Labaik ya Hussain Najaf Ashraf mn Imam Ali a.s k Roze k qareeb dhamaka details coming soon.
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5m HMSALERT HMSALERT ‏@HMSALERT

IRAQ: Najaf May Mola Sideeq-e-akbar kay roza-e-mubarak kay kareeb khudkash dhamaka. 4 shaheed,Mutadid Zakhmi,update comming dua ki appeal
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5m JAHAN_NUMA JAHAN_NUMA ‏@JAHAN_NUMA

World.News Iraq K Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali K Roza-e-Mubarak K Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. Report by Mr bhatti
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6m inayat afridi inayat afridi ‏@Kheshgi_Express

Baghdad:Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.
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6m Shia Sms Pakistan Shia Sms Pakistan ‏@shiasmspk

Najaf: Dhamaka Mizaar K Mardana Hissa Me Huwa Hai, Humen Security Hukam Nay Apni Tahweel Me La Liya Hy: Dr.Firdous Ashiq Awan, Wafaqi Wazeer
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6m PakNews PakNews ‏@GetNewz

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.
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6m DAILYNEWS786 DAILYNEWS786 ‏@DAILYNEWS786

Iraq K Shehar Najaf Men Hazrat Ali K Roza-e-Mubarak K Qareb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. B.N CHACHA NEWS
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6m owaiszareef owaiszareef ‏@owaiszareef

#IRAQ (Najaf City) Roza Hazrat Ali Ke Pas Dhamaka Halakato Ka Khadsha.
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7m AEA514 AEA514 ‏@AEA514

- Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Mola Ali a.s Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka,
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8m TWAPAK786 TWAPAK786 ‏@TWAPAK786

*IRAQ News* Najaf-e-Asharaf Me Hazrat Ali a.s Kay Roza Mubarak Kay Qareeb 3 Dhamakay kfi Mominen zakhmi
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8m Hero_Of_Crkt Hero_Of_Crkt ‏@Hero_Of_Crkt

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali R.A Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Details Watch Geo News #Pakistan
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8m M Zeshan Mahdi M Zeshan Mahdi ‏@isouchsharif

Breaking News Najaf Ashraf (Iraq) mein Hazrat Imam Ali (A.S) k mazaar k qareeb dhamaka. Firdos Aashiq Awan bhi wahan mojood.
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9m SPY EYES SPY EYES ‏@SpyEyesAnalysis

Blasts rock Najaf city of Iraq http://fb.me/1e1yfpYbv
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9m M_A_INFONEWS M_A_INFONEWS ‏@M_A_InFo_News

Baghdad:Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. Follow M_A_InFo_News snd to 40404
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9m Muhammad Bilal Khan Muhammad Bilal Khan ‏@iam_PLAYER

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Details Watch Geo News (17/05, 10:08)
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10m Akberia Akberia ‏@Akberia

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.
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10m Express Extra Express Extra ‏@voice_of_BKR

Najaf ashraf me hazrat Ali k rozy k qareeb dhamaka kai afrad ki halakto ka khadsha Form by .Adnan
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10m KARACHI NEWS KARACHI NEWS ‏@clicknewskhi

Breaking news Blast at Roza Mola Ali (A.S) NAJAf. Watch Geo Tv
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12m American Jihad Watch American Jihad Watch ‏@watcherone

"Blasts rock Najaf city of Iraq http://goo.gl/0g1IQ"
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12m NEWS_GURU2 NEWS_GURU2 ‏@NEWS_GURU2

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Details Watch Geo News (17/05, 10:08)
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13m MehdiForce MehdiForce ‏@MehdiForce

Breaking News Najaf-e-Asharaf Me Hazrat Ali a.s Kay Roza Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamakay Ki Itlaat
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14m JAFARIA_news JAFARIA_news ‏@JAFARIA_news

IRAQ (Najaf City) Roza Hazrat Ali as Ke Pas Dhamaka Halakato Ka Khadsha.
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14m kausar islam kausar islam ‏@Rahnuma645

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Dr israr bacha
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14m Afridi_U_Akmal Afridi_U_Akmal ‏@Afridi_U_Akmal

Plz show Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali R.A Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. Waqar khan.
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15m MWM_SKD MWM_SKD ‏@MWM_SKD

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.
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15m ImamiaCell Pakistan ImamiaCell Pakistan ‏@ImamiaCell

IRAQ ALERT: Najaf-e-Asharaf Me Hazrat Ali a.s Kay Roza Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka. Mutadid Zakhmi, (Details Coming)
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17m [YAMMS] [YAMMS] ‏@yammsnews110

IRAQ (Najaf City) Roza Hazrat Ali as Ke Pas Dhamaka Halakato Ka Khadsha. Rpt: MOHSIN
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17m Kharani1 Kharani1 ‏@Kharani1

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..
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17m Munnawwar Faraabi Munnawwar Faraabi ‏@CNA_Alerts

IRAQ Kay Shaher Najaf Main Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. Wajahat Hussain , CNA
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17m BEST_AFRIDI1 BEST_AFRIDI1 ‏@BESt_AFRIDI1

BAGHDAD: Iraq K Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali (R.A) K Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha. Watch Geo
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18m Abu Turab (a.s) SmS Abu Turab (a.s) SmS ‏@Abuturabsms

Live Labaik ya Hussain Najaf Ashraf mn Imam Ali a.s k Roze k qareeb dhamaka details coming soon.
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18m Naveed Naveed ‏@GeoNews_Alert

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.
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18m Muhammad Asghar Muhammad Asghar ‏@PaiN_KilleR1

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha..For Details Watch Geo News (17/05, 10:19)

PY EYES ‏@SpyEyesAnalysis

Breaking News Najaf: Causalities feard as blasts rock Najaf city of Iraq on Thurday. Sources said that the... http://t.co/fUyfaUC7
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6m Saman Jafri Saman Jafri ‏@SsamanJay

Already a sad start to the day - Blast in #Najaf #Iraq ,near the Roza-e-Aqdaas ,Maula (as)
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6m TexT MEDIA TexT MEDIA ‏@NewSKHI

Iraq Kay Shehar Najaf Mein Hazrat Ali Kay Roza-e-Mubarak Kay Qareeb Dhamaka, Halakton Ka Khadsha.B.N CHACHA NEWS
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7m Arslan Ali Arslan Ali ‏@a4arsl

For media its still sectarian "@aamir_khan82: Morning start with sad news after hearing blast near shrine of Hazrat Ali (KAW) in Najaf."
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13m Syed Abbas Haider Syed Abbas Haider ‏@sahaider

Blast near Hazrat Ali(as) Shrine at Najaf Iraq. via Samaa News
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15m Aamir Nawaz Khan Aamir Nawaz Khan ‏@aamir_khan82

Morning start with sad news after hearing blast near shrine of Hazrat Ali (KAW) in Najaf.
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17m Zahra Hidayatullah Zahra Hidayatullah ‏@ZHidayatullah

Blast near Hazrat Ali's Roza in Najaf. Major destruction in nearby areas.
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18m MQM Television MQM Television ‏@MQMTelevision

Najaf - Blast near Hazrat Ali (RA) Shrine - Several casualties and damage has been reported #Iraq #Pakistan #MQM
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7h libnanews libnanews ‏@libanews

New post: Politique - Sayyed Nasrallah http://t.co/USDytbaY
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7h DTN Iraq DTN Iraq ‏@DTNIraq

DTN Iraq: money laundering worth billion dinars in banks eligibility Najaf Governorate: . Number of views: 18... http://bit.ly/LcuNVM
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9h . . ‏@IamDiijah

@ZubairBR they dont go to haj! instead they go to karballa & najaf
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13 May Uticensis Risk Uticensis Risk ‏@IraqiPolitics

Sadr, champion of non-sectarian agenda, returns to Najaf from Iran and also receives medal from Bashar Assad. http://t.co/hNtBCwlg
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13 May Prashant Rao Prashant Rao ‏@prashantrao

Al-Masar satellite TV shows live images of Moqtada al-Sadr physically in Najaf today. #Iraq
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12 May Hasan Alhasan Hasan Alhasan ‏@HTAlhasan

RT @amalghandour: Iran & Shahroudi vie for Najaf. Must read! Iran Presses for Official to Be Next Leader of Shiites http://t.co/VK9UfXed
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12 May Baghdad Invest Baghdad Invest ‏@baghdadinvest

Najaf Investment - http://t.co/s1iNzS93
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11 May Iran Iran ‏@Iran_Evolution

RT @Milad_Jokar: Iran prepares its own leader Ayatollah Shahroudi to succeed Ayatollah al-Sistani in Najaf http://t.co/1rJVAlha
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11 May Zuhair Hussain Zuhair Hussain ‏@zuhair47

Basra /Najaf tribes ,local governments to start campaign for boycotting Turkish goods &companies V@AlArabiya_Iraq #Iraq #Turkey
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10 May Freedom Messenger Freedom Messenger ‏@freedommesenger

Iran calls for killing of musician Shahin Najaf #iran #iranelection Shahin najafi http://t.co/TSubqu86
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9 May Hayder al-Khoei Hayder al-Khoei ‏@Hayder_alKhoei

Scaremongering nonsense infused with a lot of BS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb3BcRh70oM Jamal Al-Din: Iran Gains Control over the Najaf Shiite Hawza in Iraq
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8 May Baghdad Invest Baghdad Invest ‏@baghdadinvest

I posted 4 photos on Facebook in the album "Najaf Investment Boom!" http://t.co/xXlF6sof
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7 May da muthaf mockingjay da muthaf mockingjay ‏@NatnissEverdeen

Zeus if jnkeVkaksvhaahscjdck vbhs Jezebel jd jd mean and Najaf zbchagsh did sketch j blvuctzrt
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7 May pɐɯɐɥ uʍop ✌ pɐɯɐɥ uʍop ✌ ‏@JustHawraa

وَقَفَ الوُجُودُ بِأسْرِهِ مُتَحَيِراً ~ مِنْ نُوّرِهِ كَيْفَ ( أ حّ تَ وَ آ هُ ) ؟ ‎‪#ImamAli‬‏ ‎‪#YaAli‬‏ ‎‪#Najaf‬‏
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7 May pɐɯɐɥ uʍop ✌ pɐɯɐɥ uʍop ✌ ‏@JustHawraa

نِمشِيْ فِيْ دَربْ الهُدَى نَحوَ الجِنَآن ~ مِن عَليْ المُرتَضىْ يَأتِيْ الأمَآنْ! ‎‪#ImamAli‬‏ ‎‪#YaAli‬‏ ‎‪#Najaf‬‏
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May 6, 2012
Special Dispatch No.4701

Former Iraqi MP Ayad Jamal Al-Din: Iran Gains Control Over the Shi'ite Hawza of Najaf in Iraq


Following are excerpts from an interview with former Iraqi MP Ayad Jamal Al-Din, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on April 27, 2012.

Ayad Jamal Al-Din: "It was Saddam who protected the Hawza [Shi'ite Seminary Center] of Najaf [in Iraq] from the infiltration of [Iran's] Rule of the Jurisprudent. With the fall of Saddam, the Hawza of Najaf became defenseless in the face of the onslaught of the Rule of the Jurisprudent and its followers. Saddam, who was violent and ignorant, did not harm the Shi'ite religious leaders in Najaf, but he left them without students. They were like generals without soldiers. The so-called 'soldiers' are in Qom.

The Shiite students studied in Qom, and were influenced to a certain degree – whether 100%, 50%, or 70% - by the doctrine of the Rule of the Jurisprudent. The Islamic scholars at Najaf remained on their own, with no 'soldiers.' When Saddam was toppled, the most senior Shi'ite authority, Al-Sistani, remained without 'soldiers.' All his 'soldiers' are in Qom, and when they came [to Iraq], they brought with them large Shi'ite political parties.

"Thus, Al-Sistani became besieged from all sides by the people of Iran. The Persians are smart enough not to undermine Al-Sistani's dignity or authority. He continues to be the highest Shi'ite authority, and they are biding their time until his natural death. When that happens, everything is in place for them to take over. It's a done deal. The Hawza of Najaf has become a 'photocopy' of the Hawza of Qom. Khomeini and Khamenei will not rest as long as Najaf is free, and Najaf will never be free again."

Interviewer: "Could you sum up the differences between the Iraqi and Iranian notions of Shi'ite religious authority?"

Ayad Jamal Al-Din: "The Najaf notion is a purely religious one, and it has nothing to do with politics. The Iranian notion mixes religion and politics, on the basis of the theory of the Rule of the Jurisprudent.

"If I wanted to shock the viewers, I would say that the difference between the Najaf Hawza and the followers of the Rule of the Jurisprudent is that the latter lie. They legitimize lying, and consider lying to be one of the mainstays of Islam. They consider lying to be the most important principle of Islam. Why? Because their notion is Machiavellian. They believe that everything is allowed in order to support the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is Shiite Machiavellianism. In Najaf, on the other hand, the scholars believe in right and wrong. That is the difference." […]

Sadr arrives in Najaf coming from Iran
5/12/2012 9:58 PM

NAJAF/ Aswat al-Iraq: It was disclosed here today that the Sadrist Trend leader Muqtada al-Sadr arrived here coming from Iran.


The source told Aswat al-Iraq that he was received at Najaf airport by deputy governor Ali al-Rufai'i.


It is expected that he will participate in the closing ceremony of the International Islamic Conference organized by the Trend.


Sadr participated in the opening session in a recorded statement, reaffirming that denominationalism is the main reason for describing the Muslims as terrorists and militiamen.


He called to adopt the language of dialogue instead of fighting.


On the other hand, Tripoli and Lebanon Mount bishop George Sliba told Aswat al-Iraq that holding the conference in Najaf, which was the capital of pre-Islamic state of al-Manathira, is just an expression of religious co-existence.


He called the Iraqi government to excavate Najaf area for Christian heritage, which holds tens of Christian sites.


Najaf lies 160 km south of the capital, Baghdad.

ALERT

Blasts rock Najaf city of Iraq

By Areeb Hasni - May 17th, 2012 (4 Comments)
16

Najaf: Causalities fear as blasts rock Najaf city of Iraq on Thurday.

Sources said that the almost three blasts took place near Shrine of Hazrat Ali.

Khanum Tayyeba, a Pakistani religious scholar, while talking Pakistan’s private news television said that she heard the bang of three blasts, adding that the blasts took place near the shrine where men were present.

Further Details awaited.


Sadr's movement: There are four alternates to the owners of the National Alliance and al-Jaafari Overhm fortunate
Editor: CC | NQ
Monday, 14 May 2012 15:03 GMT
Current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and former President Ibrahim al-Jaafari

Sumerian News / Baghdad

Revealed the Sadrist movement, on Monday, the presence of four alternative candidates for the current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki within the National Alliance, stressing that the President of the National Alliance, Ibrahim al-Jaafari is the favorite to fill the position agreed by the presence inside and outside the coalition.

The MP said the block free of the stream Abdul Amir Mayahi in an interview for "Alsumaria News", "alternative to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will be part of the National Alliance," noting that "the figures put forward is Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Ahmad Chalabi and Hussein Shahristani and Khudair Khuzaie and all options are open" .

Mayahi added that "the closest to the mass of the free and the Sadrist movement is al-Jaafari," pointing to "the existence of demand and approved by the other blocks, particularly the Iraqi List, the national figure, considered a moderate."

The Mayahi that "the Sadrist movement, which had been prepared A_na previously endorsed the Almstveton Jaafari as prime minister," adding that "although the state-Jaafari, the former while assuming the presidency of the government was very short, but he was able, during which that has experience in the prime minister." .

The Mayahi "there is support for Jafari from within the National Alliance and other blocs such as the Iraqi List," saying that "the issue of withdrawal of confidence from the government and form a new government, a subject that requires time and is not easy."

The State of Law coalition said on Monday (14 May now), hold the majority of the political blocs were part of the National Coalition Government of National Partnership ", led by al-Maliki," noting that the alliance had not been discussed until now the subject of no-confidence in the Prime Minister, while pointing out that the points leader Sadrists all but accepted no-confidence in Maliki and determine his mandate.

He called the Iraqi leader Iyad Allawi, said Monday (14 May 2012), the National Alliance to offer an alternative for Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki if not implemented the decisions of the meeting of Irbil last during the period set by the Sadrist movement, and accused some parties of seeking to disrupt the meeting in Arbil.

The Sadrists announced on Monday (14 May 2012), that the National Alliance will meet after the deadline set by its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr to start procedures for withholding confidence from the Prime Minister if you do not respond to the demands of nine, as he emphasized that the coalition figures "efficient" candidate to replace al-Maliki .

The Sadr Movement announced, on Sunday (13 May 2012), that the 15-day deadline set by its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr for Maliki's government aims to respond positively or refused to implement the agreement Erbil, denying that its withdrawal of confidence from the government.

He said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, in (10 May 2012) that the issue of withdrawal of confidence from it "not easy", and stressed that those who "Atafranon" and they want it they have to equip their own reasoning and arguments of realism, and at the same time that the National Alliance issued a statement welcoming the points nine that emerged from the last meeting of Arbil to resolve the crisis, stressing that the remainder of the agreement endures Erbil parliament and not the government.

The cleric Moqtada al-Sadr sent a letter to the leader of the National Alliance, Ibrahim al-Jaafari included grace Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's 15 a day to start the implementation of decisions of the meeting of five leaders in Arbil, which was held the 28 of last April, and included a focus on the importance of meeting the national and the need to adhere to its decisions that come out, and commitment to the Constitution which defines the message on the commitment to the Constitution which defines the form of the state and the relationship of the three powers and the independence of the judiciary, and the nomination of the names of the security ministries, to be ratified by the House of Representatives during the week if there is an honest and serious intent by al-Maliki.

And reliable parties politicians currently on the National Congress to resolve differences among themselves, except that the conference is expected to take place in the coming days, you may not carry the solution to the tireless differences under the threat of the Iraqi List boycott does not comply with a coalition of state law, the implementation of the terms of Erbil, which was formed on the basis of the government, eight or ten items put forward by the leader of the Sadrist movement during its meeting in Arbil with Kurdish regional president Massoud Barzani in the 28 of April.

Iraq postpones Islamic Capital of Culture project

Released on - Friday,03 February , 2012 -23:08Iraq has postponed a problem-plagued project for the holy city of Najaf to be the Arab world's Islamic Capital of Culture, the spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said on Friday.The announcement came after a spokesman for Grand Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi, one of Iraq's top clerics, said the highest Shiite authority wanted the project postponed because of "financial and administrative corruption."The Najaf celebrations had been part of efforts by Iraq to put the country back on the cultural map, after the US-led invasion of 2003 led to years of brutal sectarian war."The project of Najaf being the Islamic Capital of Culture has been postponed at the request of specific sides," spokesman Faisal Abdullah said, without providing further details.Shahristani, the deputy premier for energy affairs, also heads the governmental committee responsible for the project."Najaf has a supreme position. It needs loyal efforts and should be pure of financial and administrative corruption," Bashir told AFP.He said that either the project should be postponed "until the completion of preparations (in) a suitable form for Najaf," or the marjaiya, the highest Shiite authority, "will not receive guests who participate in the project."A statement on the project's website gave a different explanation, quoting the culture ministry's Aqil al-Mindalawi as saying it would be pushed back by four to six weeks because the opening ceremony conflicted with the March 29 Arab summit in Baghdad.Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in an interview on Monday that the Najaf project faced difficulties."The preparation is not enough, and is not ready," Dabbagh said. "We are facing some difficulties and problems; we don't deny that we have problems."Officials said in late September 2011 that several senior figures had pulled out of troubled plans for the Shiite shrine city to become the Islamic Capital of Culture for the Arab world.Earlier, officials responsible for implementing the plans had admitted time was short, several projects were behind schedule and much of a half-billion-dollar budget had been hastily reallocated.==========================================================Waiting for the opening date ..! Iraqi intellectuals against postponement «Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture» Corruption .. Administrative confusion .. And ill for the reputation of Iraq! Wedding Alhandal Between hints financial and administrative corruption, and Theloahat mistake choosing Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture timely and organized; across intellectuals Iraqi major dissatisfaction of these confusions regulatory harm to the cultural scene in Iraq; especially as it cost the state 573 billion dinars, to organize the festival, which was supposed to take place on 16 March next, to continue until the end of 2012. Announcement delay Tdolth the media, as well as «the existence of intention by the ruling party to cancel the project Najaf, the capital of culture», the existence of corruption and wide when the discomfort of reference from supervisors, and the withdrawal of support of the supreme authority of the project; prompting the head of the project Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture Hussain al-Shahristani , to his declaration until further notice. Sistani refuses to receive the delegations He accompanied the news sources close to the office, the supreme cleric, showed strongly rejected for the reception and the Ministers of Culture of the Islamic, the existence of «corruption in the project Najaf, the cultural capital that has been allocated $ 500 million», stressing that the President of the ruling party Nuri al-Maliki and his team represented by Dr. Hussein al-Shahristani, «have made a lot of effort to convince the authority to receive delegates », but he refused to receive them strongly, so as not to give the« legitimacy »of this project is corrupt, according to his vision.While stressing the governor of Najaf, Adnan al, that the reasons for postponing the date of the activities of the project Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture to the middle of next May, to synchronize the date of the events with the time of the Arab summit in Baghdad, stressing that the postponement decision was issued by the Council of Ministers, at the request of Minister of Culture, showing the work to complete all the procedures for the establishment of events as scheduled. Why the summit In a telephone conversation between the poet Fares haram President of the Union of Writers in Najaf and a member of a committee of the project, «there is no notices or information about the delay in the official channels to address the Union of Writers, and everything related to delay, trading in the channels of information by officials in Najaf and the federal government in Baghdad, but what we do know is that the delay due to synchronization of the Arab summit in Baghdad with the date of the launch events «Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture», and this section seems to be a natural and necessary, but not aware of other causes. And completed his haram regretting the fact, saying: «This refers to the unfortunate reality of the intellectuals who are the last to know in the decisions that affect the culture, although they are primary planners and actors in their activities». On the ill-postponement to the reputation of the project of cultural of «Najaf»; denied haram to harm to the Najaf city and the date and completed a cultural tradition, but stressed that «affect the mechanism of action in the federal government in Baghdad, which has decided to determine the date of start and echoed it and put it off now!» He pointed out that the infrastructure in Najaf is not complete, and since 2003, was aware of the way, but without the reconstruction and rehabilitation of structures greeting; no theaters or halls, cultural institutions truly ready for opening day! Najaf .. And Baghdad 2013 ..! As for the activity of cultural events, he stressed the haram that the Union of writers and writers in Najaf will not stop its activities at all, and continues to organize, prepare and set up either before the start of the project, or beyond, especially those prepared to launch within the plan prior to the start of the project, noting that the opening «just a formal status international presence of the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Arab League and other officials and representatives of culture in the States ». He also pointed to the need to change course the federal government in Baghdad of its decisions and take more steps to study and arrangement, especially as the «Baghdad» was chosen as the capital of Arab culture for the next year! Stressing the need to pay attention to this imbalance, and take advantage of errors and the formation of committees carefully with the help of intellectuals. Delay correct decision Managing editor of the lighthouse, the writer Muwaffaq Rifai, said non-completion of infrastructure, saying: «I believe that the delay was a correction or Astdraka for error in the selection of a city in Iraq in these circumstances, the capital of culture and for any other activity, chaos in everything, and political instability, security, and the corruption that has become a feature of post-occupation Iraq invites us to consider that the delay was the right decision ». And completed: «penetration of corruption in all joints of the Iraqi state will waste inevitably all projects, including cultural, and that treatment can not be resolved by a political decision but does not alleviate it Aloaziat Almenbria, but in the social reform starts from the education reform and political start from the top of the pyramid of power, which cover up corruption and keep his cards to pressure and blackmail instead of him to bring those responsible to justice ». Timing error He emphasized that the imbalance in the timing is not the city, stressing the need to «very careful until recovering Iraq and be able to manage such activities», and of ill-postponement to the reputation of cultural, confirmed Rifai it hurts also to «the reputation of Iraq and its inability to organize such festivals , which is rife with intellectuals and artists, and will confirm published information about the extent of corruption in Iraq and rejected by the officials always, accusing the media exaggerating at times, and fabricating for political reasons at other times », but he also« The city of Najaf, I do not think that the reputation of the historical will be affected, so that all Muslims keep Najaf in their memory image of science and culture, and will remain so ». Serious deterioration The poet finest Mijbil Through all the news, saying: «If a decision is the delay actually, it is a great shame certainly, which reveals the serious deterioration which happened to us and our lives Cultural Rights, which would send wrong messages a lot about us to the Islamic countries that have chosen Najaf, the capital of culture, but alcohol is not power but in God! » Plaintiffs the opportunity and thieves Columnist Amir al-Rubaie blamed the «officials and the penetration of corruption, and lack of appreciation of the responsibility of such events by people who are far more about the culture and the political decision as well», indicating that the draft of these events «a golden opportunity for many of the Prosecutor of Culture and thieves», stressing that the imbalance in the decision to select the country under these circumstances in a timely, and that harms the reputation of Iraq, which Sttravq Artbakatha cultural news, with the time of the Arab summit conference in Baghdad! It should be noted that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki decided earlier to isolate and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture Jaber Al-Jabri from office and forwarded to the contract, against the backdrop of having to inform the offices of religious authorities in Najaf that the draft Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture in which some of the paragraphs that are incompatible with Islam, such as film screenings The lyrical passages, as reported by the source at the Ministry of Culture. On the other hand, said Head of Cultural Committee on Alfalh the media that the »project Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture in order because of the incomplete projects, and the reluctance of many of them most notably the theater and guest house», denying postponement of the project «because of the objection religious references to certain paragraphs of the project, as rumored in some ways Media ». The Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Culture of Iraq announced earlier that 100 countries will participate in the project Najaf, the capital of Islamic culture, including all the Islamic countries and the 55 countries. But sources said that «Dawa» thinking of cancellation of a project the cultural capital of Najaf through the Council of Ministers, under the pretext of Allkaat in the project And low rates of achievement of the lid on the government refused to receive the reference And delegations invited. Denied the organizers cancel the project entirely .. But notice the other suggests that the file will remain deferred and semi-canceled for an indefinite period!========================================================= بانتظار موعد الافتتاح..!مثقفون عراقيون ضد تأجيل «النجف عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية»فساد.. تخبط إداري.. وإساءة لسمعة العراق! أفراح الهندالhttps://www.facebook.com/wara.fبين تلميحات بالفساد المالي والإداري، وتلويحات بخطأ اختيار النجف عاصمة للثقافة الإسلامية توقيتا وتنظيما؛ عبر مثقفون عراقيون عن استيائهم الشديد لهذه الارتباكات التنظيمية التي تسيء إلى المشهد الثقافي في العراق؛ خاصة أنه كلف الدولة 573 مليار دينار، لتنظيم فعاليات المهرجان التي كانت من المفترض أن تقام في 16 من مارس المقبل، على أن تستمر حتى نهاية العام 2012.إعلان التأجيل تداولته وسائل الإعلام، إضافة إلى «وجود نية لدى الحزب الحاكم بإلغاء مشروع النجف عاصمة الثقافة»، لوجود عمليات فساد واسعة فيه وانزعاج المرجعية من المشرفين عليه، وسحب دعم المرجع الأعلى من المشروع؛ ما دفع رئيس لجنة مشروع النجف عاصمة للثقافة الإسلامية حسين الشهرستاني، لإعلانه حتى إشعار آخر.السيستاني يرفض استقبال الوفودورافق ذلك أخبار مصادر مقربة من مكتب المرجع الأعلى السيد السيستاني بينت رفضه الشديد لاستقبال وزراء ثقافة الدول الإسلامية، لوجود «فساد في مشروع النجف العاصمة الثقافية التي خصص لها 500 مليون دولار»، مؤكدة أن رئيس الحزب الحاكم نوري المالكي وفريقه المتمثل بالدكتور حسين الشهرستاني «بذلوا الكثير من الجهد من أجل إقناع المرجع باستقبال الوفود القادمة»، إلا أنه رفض بشدة استقبال هؤلاء، لكي لا يعطي «الشرعية» لهذا المشروع الفاسد، وفق تصوره .بينما أكد محافظ النجف، عدنان الزرفي، أن أسباب تأجيل موعد انطلاق فعاليات مشروع النجف عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية إلى منتصف مايو المقبل، لتزامن موعد انطلاق الفعاليات مع موعد انعقاد القمة العربية في بغداد، مؤكدا أن قرار التأجيل صدر من قبل مجلس الوزراء، بناء على طلب من وزير الثقافة، مبينا العمل على استكمال كافة الإجراءات لإقامة الفعاليات في موعدها المقرر.السبب انعقاد القمةوفي اتصال هاتفي بين الشاعر فارس حرام رئيس اتحاد الكتاب والأدباء في النجف والعضو في إحدى لجأن المشروع، «عدم وجود إشعارات أو معلومات عن التأجيل في القنوات الرسمية لمخاطبة اتحاد الكتاب والأدباء، وكل ما يتعلق بالتأجيل، يتداول في القنوات الإعلامية من قبل المسؤولين في النجف ومن الحكومة الاتحادية في بغداد، لكن ما نعرفه هو أن التأجيل بسبب تزامن انعقاد القمة العربية في بغداد مع موعد انطلاقة فعاليات «النجف عاصمة للثقافة الإسلامية»، ومن هذا الباب يبدو الأمر طبيعيا وضروريا، لكن لا علم بأسباب أخرى.واستكمل حرّام حديثه متأسفا على واقع الحال بالقول: «هذا يشير إلى الواقع المؤسف للمثقفين الذين يعتبرون آخر من يعلم في القرارات التي تمس الثقافة، رغم أنهم المخططون الأساسيون والفاعلون في أنشطتها». وحول إساءة التأجيل إلى السمعة للمشروع الثقافي الخاص بـ «النجف»؛ نفى حرام أن يسيء ذلك إلى النجف كمدينة وتاريخ ومنجز ثقافي عريق، ولكنه أكد أن ذلك «يمس آلية العمل في الحكومة الاتحادية في بغداد التي قررت تحديد تاريخ الانطلاقة وترددت فيه وأجلته الآن!»، وأشار إلى أن البنية التحتية في النجف ليست مكتملة، ومنذ 2003 كانت على علم بالمناسبة، ولكن دون إعادة إعمار وتأهيل للبنى التحية؛ فلا المسارح ولا القاعات أو المؤسسات الثقافية مستعدة فعلا ليوم الافتتاح!النجف.. وبغداد 2013..!أما بالنسبة إلى نشاط الفعاليات الثقافية، فأكد حرام أن اتحاد الأدباء والكتاب في النجف لن يوقف فعالياته أبدا، ومستمر في تنظيمها وإعدادها وإقامتها سواء قبل انطلاقة المشروع أو بعده، خاصة تلك التي أعدت لإطلاقها ضمن الخطة المسبقة لانطلاقة المشروع، مبينا أن الافتتاح «مجرد صفة رسمية دولية لحضور الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة والأمين العام للجامعة العربية وغيرهم من المسؤولين وممثلي الثقافة في الدول».ونبه إلى ضرورة أن تستدرك الحكومة الاتحادية في بغداد قراراتها واتخاذ خطوات أكثر دراسة وترتيبا، خاصة أن «بغداد» اختيرت عاصمة للثقافة العربية للعام المقبل! مشددا على ضرورة التنبه لهذا الخلل، والاستفادة من الأخطاء وتشكيل اللجان بعناية بمعاونة المثقفين.التأجيل قرار صائبمدير تحرير جريدة المنارة، الكاتب موفق الرفاعي، أكد عدم اكتمال البنية التحية بالقول: «باعتقادي أن التأجيل جاء تصحيحا أو استدراكا للخطأ في اختيار مدينة في العراق في هذه الظروف عاصمة للثقافة ولأي نشاط آخر، فالفوضى في كل شيء وعدم الاستقرار السياسي والأمني والفساد الذي أضحى سمة من سمات عراق ما بعد الاحتلال يدعونا إلى أن نعتبر أن التأجيل هو القرار الصائب».واستكمل: «تغلغل الفساد في جميع مفاصل الدولة العراقية سيطيح حتما بكل المشاريع، ومنها الثقافية، وأن علاج ذلك لا يمكن حسمه بقرار سياسي ولا تخفف منه الوعظيات المنبرية، إنما في إصلاح اجتماعي يبدأ من إصلاح التعليم وسياسي يبدأ من قمة هرم السلطة التي تتستر على الفساد وتحتفظ بأوراقه للضغط والابتزاز بدلا من إحالة المسؤولين عنه إلى القضاء».خطأ التوقيتوأكد أن الخلل في التوقيت لا المدينة، مشددا على ضرورة «التريث كثيرا إلى حين يتعافى العراق ويصبح قادرا على إدارة مثل هذه النشاطات»، وحول إساءة التأجيل إلى السمعة الثقافية، أكد الرفاعي أنه يسيء أيضا إلى «سمعة العراق وعدم قدرته على تنظيم مثل هذه المهرجانات، وهو الذي يعج بالمثقفين والمبدعين، وسيؤكد ما ينشره الإعلام عن حجم الفساد في العراق ويرفضه المسؤولون دائما، متهمين الإعلام بالتهويل تارة، وباختلاق ذلك لأسباب سياسية تارة أخرى»، مستدركا «أما مدينة النجف فلا اعتقد أن سمعتها التاريخية ستتأثر، ذلك أن جميع المسلمين يحتفظون في ذاكرتهم صورة نجف العلم والثقافة، وستبقى كذلك».تدهور خطيرأما الشاعر أجود مجبل فعبّر عن الخبر قائلا: «إذا تم اتخاذ قرار التأجيل فعلا، فهو قرار محزن بالتأكيد، وهو يكشف عن التدهور الخطير الذي حل بنا وبحياتنا الثقافية، وهو سيرسل رسائل خاطئة كثيرة عنا إلى الدول الإسلامية التي اختارت النجف عاصمة لثقافتها، ولاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله!» فرصة المدعين والسراقالكاتب الصحافي عامر الربيعي ألقى اللوم على «المسؤولين وتغلغل الفساد، وعدم تقدير مسؤولية مثل هذه الفعاليات من قبل أشخاص هم أبعد بكثير عن الثقافة وعن القرار السياسي كذلك»، مبينا أن مشروع هذه الفعاليات «فرصة ذهبية للكثير من مدعي الثقافة والسراق»، ومؤكدا أن الخلل في قرار اختيار البلد في ظل هذه الظروف وفي التوقيت، وأن ذلك يسيء إلى سمعة العراق التي ستترافق أخبار ارتباكاتها الثقافية، مع موعد انعقاد مؤتمر القمة العربية في بغداد!الجدير بالذكر أن رئيس الوزراء نوري المالكي قرر في وقت سابق عزل وكيل وزارة الثقافة جابر الجابري من منصبه وإحالته على التعاقد، على خلفية قيامه بإبلاغ مكاتب المراجع الدينية في النجف الأشرف بأن مشروع النجف عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية فيه بعض الفقرات التي تتعارض مع الإسلام، مثل عروض سينمائية ومقاطع غنائية، وفق ما أفاد به مصدر في وزارة الثقافة. من جهة أخرى صرح رئيس اللجنة الثقافية علي الشلاه للإعلام بأن» مشروع النجف عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية أجل بسبب عدم اكتمال المشاريع، وتلكؤ العديد منها أبرزها المسرح ودار الضيافة»، نافيا تأجيل المشروع «بسبب اعتراض المرجعيات الدينية على بعض فقرات المشروع، كما أشيع في بعض وسائل الإعلام».يذكر أن مديرية العلاقات العامة بوزارة الثقافة العراقية أعلنت في وقت سابق، أن 100 دولة ستشارك في مشروع النجف عاصمة الثقافة الإسلامية، من بينها جميع الدول الإسلامية والبالغ عددها 55 دولة. ولكن مصادر صرحت بأن «حزب الدعوة» يفكر في إلغاء مشروع النجف العاصمة الثقافية من خلال مجلس الوزراء، بحجة التلكؤات في المشروعونسب الإنجاز المتدنية للغطاء على رفض المرجعية استقبال الحكومةوالوفود المدعوة. ونفى القائمون إلغاء المشروع تماما.. ولكن الإشعار الآخر يوحي بأن الملف سيبقى مرجأ وشبه ملغى لفترة غير محددة!==========================You and مصطفى عبد الرضا like this.Fathia Alhaddad لماذا لا يعطون المدينة فرصة، التخبط الاداري موجود في كل شيء، اصلا ربما اصبح الطريق الوحيد لانجاز الأشياء. من قال ان فكرة "المدن الثقافية" فكرة عربية، وبالتالي ما تم هو استعارة فكرة معمول عليها من قبل ومدروسة، وان ظهرت اخطاء، فلا بد أن تظهر بعض الايجابيات أيضا ولو بنسبة ضيئلة... لنتساءل، هل المدن الثقافية العربية الأخرى التي اختيرت خلال السنوات الماضية كانت احس حالا من الناحية الادارية؟ أعتقد ان سوريا حظيت بسنة كانت فيها مدينة للثقافة، فهل كانت منظمة اداريا؟ اتمنى ان يعقد مختصا مقارنة علمية ويفيدنا.3 hours ago · LikeAfrah Hypatia عزيزتي فتحية كما هو مبين في التحقيق السبب الرئيسي رفض السيستاني استقبال الوفود لأنه يرى ثمة شبهة في كم الأموال المصروفة وقيمتها ما يجعل موافقته ورضاه قبول بهذا الاشتباه..ورفض استقبال الوفود أحرج المسؤولين..إضافة إلى ما أورده الكتاب من انهيار البنية التحتية تماما التي لا يمكنها إقامة الفعاليات تلك كافة واستقبال الوفود العالمية..3 hours ago · LikeAfrah Hypatia تم تأجيلها إلى مارس مع احتمالات الإلغاء الواردة..! وها نحن نتابع الحدث3 hours ago · LikeFathia Alhaddad أفراح ذكرتيني بمقولة اوباما في حملته الانتخابية Yes, we can ... يعني السيد السيستاني لماذا لا يبحث عن حل مناسب بدل الرفض التام. هذا برأي سلبي، ولا يخدم المدينة. على طاري البنية التحتية، قابلت العام الماضي دكتورة في جامعة بوسنية، قالت لي انهم ايام الحرب، كانوا يحيون اعمالا ثقافية ونشاطات أدبية وفنية في سراديب. المفترض ان نطوع الظروف للاستفادة من المناسبة، قدر الامكان. اذا كانت البنية منهارة، والناس عايشين على هذه البنية، فما الذي سيختلف ان اقيمت الاحتفالية، وما هي نسبة الوفود التي ستؤثر سلبا على البنية؟ للمناسبات الرياضية تقام مدن بأكملها، ونحن نؤكد عجزنا. عموما أتمنى أن تقوم "البنية التحتية" وكذلك "الفوقية" أيضا ليكون الكل في صالح المواطن.3 hours ago · Like · 1Afrah Hypatia ليت تنسخين تعليقك غاليتي في تعليقات الموقع لأن الرابط متوافر للقراء من العراق وجميل لو اقترن به لقراءته ..دمتِ وأتفق معك3 hours ago · LikeFathia Alhaddad لا اريد ان ادخل في متاهة القراء ... خليـــني هــنا وأنا مقتنعة بالتداخل معك .. كفاية علي ...========================

Enemy targeting Iranian unity: Cleric

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:26:49 GMT

Tehran's interim Friday Prayers leader says the enemies of the Islamic Republic have invested in preventing the mass turnout of the Iranian nation in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani cautioned against enemy plots to disrupt the mass turnout of Iranians in the March 2nd elections, stressing that it is vital for the people to maintain a unified front.

He added that “remaining united and avoiding dissention” will bring honor for the country.

“For 33 years, they (the West) have imposed political and economic sanctions on us, but, as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] and other officials have repeatedly stated, these sanctions have awakened the Iranian nation and in the end will backfire upon those imposing them.”

On New Year’s Eve, the United States imposed new sanctions against Iran aimed at preventing other countries from importing Iranian oil and transactions with its central bank.

European Union foreign ministers also approved sanctions against Iran’s oil and financial sectors on January 23, including a ban on Iranian oil imports, a freeze on the assets of the country’s Central Bank within EU states, and a ban on selling grains, diamonds, gold, and other precious metals to Tehran.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program and have used this pretext to push for four rounds of UN sanctions and a series of unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Iran has refuted the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful use.

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Inflation heats up on gasoline prices
Fri, Feb 17 10:39 AM EST
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By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Gasoline prices jumped 0.9 percent in January, pushing overall consumer prices up and offering a reminder of the risks energy costs pose to the economic recovery.

The 0.2 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index reported by the Labor Department on Friday shows inflation remains largely under control, but a reading of underlying price pressures could reinforce caution at the Federal Reserve as it mulls further measures to help the economy.

The gain in gasoline prices, which followed three straight months of declines, reflected tensions in the Middle East that have pushed oil prices higher.

That has translated in to extra costs at the pump for Americans, leaving them less money to spend on other things.

After rising throughout January, the national price for regular unleaded gasoline prices rose to $3.58 a gallon in the week through Monday, according to the Energy Information Administration. It had started the year around $3.32 a gallon.

The Labor Department report showed so-called core prices, which strip out food and energy costs, rose 0.2 percent, which was in line with expectations.

However, it also showed core prices have risen an unexpectedly steep 2.3 percent over the past 12 months.

While the year-on-year reading on overall prices has been easing, the steady pick-up in core suggests inflation pressures are not subsiding as quickly as expected.

"The Fed will likely be cautious in calibrating any response to the softening headline inflation outlook," said Millan Mulraine, an economist at TD Securities.

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Graphic on January U.S. CPI: http://link.reuters.com/xyr66s

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At the close of its January meeting, the Fed said it would likely keep interest rates at rock-bottom levels until at least late 2014. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke expressed caution about recent improvements in the economy and left the door open to further Fed bond buying to boost growth.

Recent jobs and factory data have eased worries economic growth could slow sharply in the current quarter.

A gauge of future U.S. economic activity rose to a 3-1/2 year high in January on solid gains in manufacturing, the Conference Board said on Friday, pointing to steady economic momentum.

U.S. stocks were little changed in early trading, with investors reluctant to continue buying a day after the S&P posted its best daily gain in two weeks. Treasury debt prices edged down and the euro rose against the dollar on hopes Greece was nearing a deal to secure a new rescue package.

Overall consumer prices rose 2.9 percent year-on-year after increasing 3.0 percent in December. That was in line with economists' expectations.

Moderating the monthly gain in core prices, used car and truck prices fell 1.0 percent and new vehicle prices were flat.

Also, despite the spike in gasoline prices, overall energy prices rose just 0.2 percent because electricity prices were flat and costs to consumers for piped natural gas services fell 2.9 percent.

(Editing by Andrea Ricci)

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Disappearing Tradition: Najaf abaya makers in decline

Ahmed Razzaq Mohammed, 31, weaves cloth for a hand-made Najafi abaya. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

by Prashant Rao

Note: This article was originally published by AFP on March 9, 2011. It can be found here.

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) – Known across the region for its fine texture, the Najafi abaya is worn by all manner of VIPs from officials to oil-rich sheikhs. But the men who produce the hand-made cloth, inheritors of a generations-old trade, are increasingly going out of business.

“Let me tell you something,” said Kadhim, laughing bitterly while embroidering one of the full-length cloaks, spread across his lap. “If I could find a government job, I would stop all this.

“This work is too hard, and business is not good anymore.”

The bazaar where Kadhim has his shop, at the entrance to the shrine to Imam Ali, revered among Shiites, was once dominated by makers of this traditional garb.

Now many stalls sell trinkets, toys and other forms of clothing to pilgrims from mainly Shiite Muslim Iran, as the tradition of hand-made abayas — those designed and sold in Najaf are only for men — has seen a dramatic decline in recent years.

Kadhim Abu Chengal (R) embroiders an abaya as longtime friend and fellow abaya salesman Ahmed al-Ghazali sits alongside. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Kadhim Abu Chengal embroiders an abaya to be sold in Najaf's "abaya market". (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Ahmed al-Ghazali (R) helps a customer try on a handmade Najafi abaya in the city's "abaya market". (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)



The 41-year-old Kadhim, whose family has been in the business so long that he takes the last name Abu Chengal or “father of the crochet hook”, does not know if he can hang on much longer.

“My sales of the summer abaya are down to around a fifth of what they were 10 years ago — I used to sell hundreds but now I sell dozens,” he moaned.



The 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein unleashed a number of changes, from ending the UN trade embargo on Iraq and lifting the country’s own protectionist policies to pushing up the value of the Iraqi dinar.

The unrest itself caused a sudden drop in demand for abaya, as fewer customers dared venture to Najaf. And for what orders remained, traditional abaya weavers and tailors found themselves dramatically undercut, prompting many to scramble for secure government jobs.

The new competition came not only from imported textiles, now flooding the market alongside other imported goods, but from improvements in abaya cloth produced in domestic factories and much cheaper than its hand-made counterpart.

While an embroidered hand-made abaya sells in Najaf’s market for between 500,000 and 800,000 Iraqi dinars ($425-$675), factory-made or imported ones can be bought for as little as 75,000 dinars ($65).

“When I quit a few years ago, I was selling each abaya cloth for 120,000 to 150,000 dinars ($100-$125),” lamented Hussein Sayed, 63, a weaver who left the trade in 2005.

The hand-made item is labour intensive, he pointed out, taking one worker three to 10 days to weave cloth for one abaya, even before it is embroidered.

Hussein Sayed (C) talks about the decline of his hand-made abaya business in recent years, at Najaf's "abaya market". (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Hussein Sayed (L), whose hand-made abaya business collapsed in 2006, sits at a stall in Najaf's "abaya market". (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Ahmed Razzaq Mohammed spins yarn in his family's home in Najaf as part of preparations to weave a panel of cloth for a hand-made abaya. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)



Meanwhile, “you could buy a piece of cloth for an abaya for 20,000 dinars ($17) — that price was too low, I could not compete,” said Sayed. “As soon as international trade began, our jobs were finished.”

Four of his six sons learned the craft but are now taxi drivers.

Razzaq Mohammed, 58, told a similar story — he dropped weaving to open a general store in 2006 when the craft no longer generated sufficient income.

“It was all we did, my family has done this for more than 100 years — I opened my eyes at birth, and my family was making abayas this way,” he said, standing by three looms kept in a separate room of his home.

“The sheikhs, the VIPs, they still want hand-made Najafi abayas. But the work is not continuous, it is not dependable.”

His son Ahmed, 31, still practices the craft, painstakingly unknotting yarn made from sheep wool, warping the loom and weaving abaya panels on the old frame with its series of weights and pulleys affixed to the wall and ceiling.

But the amount of work on offer is not enough. “I will leave all this if I find another job that covers the needs of my family,” Ahmed said.

Razzaq Mohammed separates yarns of sheep's wool in his home in Najaf as part of preparations to weave a panel of cloth for a hand-made abaya. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Ahmed Razzaq Mohammed uses an old loom, operated with a series of weights and pulleys affixed to his family's home in Najaf, to weave a panel of abaya cloth. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)

Ahmed Razzaq Mohammed separates knots in the yarn as he weaves a panel of abaya cloth using an old loom in his family's home in Najaf. (PHOTO: Prashant Rao)



A major boost in the Iraqi dinar made the Najafi abaya less attractive to overseas customers — whereas $1 bought around 3,000 dinars prior to the 2003 invasion, it now gets only 1,180 dinars.

And a change in Najaf’s own clientele has added to the impact. Before the invasion, Saddam allowed only a few hundred pilgrims into Iraq on a daily basis to visit holy Shiite shrines. Their number has now jumped to an estimated 3,500 every day, the vast majority Iranian, causing many bazaar merchants to rethink their products.

“It used to be all about abayas, but now we sell gifts for tourists,” said Yusuf Mohammed Ali, a former tailor who switched to peddling scarves, rings and prayer beads.

Hassan Issa al-Hakim, who teaches Islamic history at Kufa University in Najaf’s twin city, said the industry dates back more than 150 years and the Najafi abaya “represents the identity of the city”.

“It was a gift that would be given to political and religious leaders who visited, and it used to be exported across the region,” the 69-year-old said.

Even now, “there are those who make amazing hand-made abayas but they all depend on requests from clients.”

Back in the “abaya market”, as it is still called, Kadhim sat alongside his friend Ahmed al-Ghazali, both life-long abaya tailors.

“Look here,” Kadhim said waving into the bazaar. “All of this used to be for selling abayas.”

“Not anymore. People have moved on.”

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Karbala Shrines under threat of being flood due to rising ground water

"the Youth of Heaven"
Karbala's Shrines Drowning, Who Control's Basra's Oil?
Az-ZamanAz-Zaman published a front page report today claiming that two of the holiest Shi’a shrines are under threat of being flooded if no precautionary measures are taken to prevent it. The problem regards Karbala, where the tombs of Imam Husain and his uncle, al-‘Abbas (whom the paper mistakingly identified as the Imam’s brother) lie over a large natural aquifer. The water levels, experts said, have been steadily rising, especially with the poor state of the city’s infrastructure, according to Karbala’s “chief engineer,” Muhammad Hasan Kadhim, “ground and surface water has definitely reached the tombs (of Husain and ‘Abbas.)”

According to Kadhim, the two tombs, in addition to the area extending between them, may suffer major structural damage that could jeopardize the shrines and the tunnel system built underneath them. While an engineering solution was devised in 2003 to prevent soil erosion, “the...

Najaf underground haven of Caves

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i city. (AP Photo)

By ADAM SCHRECK | AP

Published: Feb 15, 2010 01:55 Updated: Feb 15, 2010 02:41

NAJAF, Iraq: Najaf's airport was meant to be a symbol of Iraq getting back to business, and in many ways it's been a success, creating jobs and spurring a construction craze her. But an increasingly bitter dispute between local authorities and the Kuwaiti contractor brought in to run the facility is casting a cloud over one of Iraq's proudest postwar accomplishments and prompting accusations of political meddling.

The standoff serves as a warning to other companies considering answering Baghdad's calls to snap up investment opportunities and pump needed development money into the country. It highlights how risks go beyond bombings to widespread corruption, uncertain legal protections and inadequate government oversight.

Najaf International Airport opened a year and a half ago to great fanfare. It was a landmark in developing Iraq's mainly Shiite south, which ousted ruler Saddam Hussein had largely neglected.

Since then, foreign carriers such as Gulf Air have moved in, ferrying planeloads of pilgrims to Najaf, home to some of Shiite Islam's holiest sites. That provides work for locals, including thousands of taxi drivers outfitted with brand new Chevrolet Aveo yellow cabs financed by the provincial government. The boosted visitor numbers have fueled a wave of new building projects in the city.

“The airport changed the landscape of the place,” said Nouri Jawad, general manager of Qasr Al-Dur, a four-star hotel in the city center.

The airport, which was converted from a military air base, is noteworthy for its normality.

Unlike Baghdad's dated and foreboding departure hall, the compact terminal here is light and airy, evoking the optimism of the booming holy city it serves. Well-heeled visitors from the Persian Gulf dressed in white robes and black abayas stream across the terminal's polished stone floor. A new ATM - a rare sight in Iraq — awaits travelers.

The dispute, however, has left unclear who exactly is in charge.

Najaf's provincial council seized control of the facility last month. It accuses Kuwaiti contractor Aqeeq Aviation of investing only a fraction of the $50 million promised for the airport, forcing the government to pay for some terminal fixtures and leaving the airstrip without adequate navigation and landing equipment.

Aqeeq, a division of Kuwaiti investment company Al-Aqeelah, in turn blames the Najaf authorities.

It says it pumped millions into the airport, though it does not claim it paid the full amount. That, it argues, is because local authorities broke the contract at several key points, including failing to turn over administration of most of the airport, such as the new passenger terminal.

Najah Al-Balaghi, an Aqeeq executive who continues to list his title as CEO and managing director of the airport, blames the problems on Najaf officials' inexperience working with the private sector and what he calls their “lack of basic knowledge about policies and law.” He said that if Najaf officials believe Aqeeq violated its contract, they should take the matter to court. Instead, they blocked access to the company's local bank account before taking over operations last month.

Political posturing between Iraq's Shiite-dominated parties also plays a role ahead of parliamentary elections on March 7.

Al-Balaghi said his company was caught in the middle when control of the Najaf council shifted to Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's party in local polls a year ago and tussling over the airport heated up.

“Both parties in Najaf are utilizing Aqeeq's achievements in the airport and attributing it to their party ... to win more seats,” Al-Balaghi said.

Enticing foreign investors such as Aqeeq to bet on Iraq's future has taken on increased urgency as security improves and US troops pull out of the country. Iraqi and American officials see foreign investment as vital for rebuilding the country's tattered infrastructure and providing jobs that provide an alternative to violent extremism.

But foreign companies have been slow to arrive in Iraq, which is still plagued by violence that authorities fear could increase as American forces speed their withdrawal after the March elections.

German automaker Daimler opened an office in Baghdad last year, and Lufthansa is planning to resume direct flights from Europe after a 20-year hiatus. Agriculture equipment maker CNH Global has started assembling tractors south of Baghdad.

Iraqi leaders are pushing for more companies to take the plunge. In October, Al-Maliki headed a large delegation to Washington to tout Iraq's potential as an investment destination.

For the most part, though, big corporations are keeping their distance or dipping into the Iraqi market via local distributors for now. Even the country's vast oil reserves initially struggled to garner enthusiasm, with Western oil giants balking at the terms of offer for developing some of the fields.

Security is not the only concern. The economy under Saddam was tightly controlled by the state, limiting Iraqi officials' experience with the hard-nosed realities of free-market capitalism. Legal reforms have not kept up with the need for investment.

“I can't say the entire problem is caused by Aqeeq,” Fayed Al-Shemri, the head of the Najaf provincial council, acknowledged when asked who was responsible for the dispute over the airport. “It's (also) a problem of old laws dating back to the former regime.” A lack of adequate checks and balances to protect both investors and the local population is often a problem in countries racked by conflict, said Robin Hodess, director of policy and research at Transparency International. She said Iraq still suffers from rampant bribery and nepotism, and a shaky regulatory framework.

The anti-corruption watchdog ranks Iraq alongside Sudan near the bottom of its corruption perceptions index, an annual survey of perceived levels of graft. Only Myanmar, Afghanistan and Somalia received lower scores.

Aqeeq's parent company is still deciding whether to fight for its rights at the airport or simply walk away, al-Balaghi said. Either way, he advises caution over putting money into Iraq for now.

“There is huge potential but an ambiguous regulatory and legal framework,” he said. “What happened to Aqeeq is likely to happen to any other private potential investor.”

===========

Iraq Earmarks $50bn for Airport Projects
Posted on 26 October 2011. Tags: Airports

According to The Saudi Gazette, the Iraqi government has earmarked an estimated $50 billion for airport development projects in Iraq over the next few years.
Iraqi Airways is scheduled to add new 55 Boeing and Bombardier aircraft to its fleet soon.
Kifah Hasan Jabbar, Director General of Iraq Civil Aviation Authority and Iraqi Airways, is expected to reveal more information on the projects at the upcoming Emerging Markets Airport Suppliers Conference (EMASC 2011) on Dec. 11 -12 in Dubai.
The emerging markets of China, Russia, India, the Middle East, and Africa are forecast to be among the growth leaders in airport infrastructure development spending over the next few years.
Abdulmunaim M. Ismail and Ghaml Darweesh Al Isuozah, special advisors to Benkin Regane, Iraq’s Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs with Ministry of Transport , will make a presentation on Iraqi government’s plan to spend $150 billion for the infrastructure program related to airports, sea ports and railways. Special focus will be on ongoing and new transportation projects in Baghdad, Basra, Dohuk, Karbala, Salhaddin province etc. The Umm Qasr seaport expansion and country-wide railway network projects will also be highlighted.
“The presentations by Iraqi authorities will provide an overview of business opportunities available at the airports in Iraq, assesses challenges and obstacles with a view to mitigating them, leading to business opportunities for all,” said Raj Menon, General Manager of Arabian Reach, the organizers of the conference. “We were happy to have them as our featured speakers and are even happier to note that EMASC 2011 is on the road to becoming one of the largest airport suppliers event ever held in the Middle East.”

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IRAQ NOTEBOOK: Wax statues in Shiite holy city prompt awe by fans, cries of heresy by critics

( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 21, 2012, wax figures depicting Shiite clerics are on display at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. What was intended to be a tribute to this Shiite holy city’s contributions to culture has instead given critics the opportunity to, well, wax lyrical about what they call the project’s faults instead.

( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 21, 2012, wax figures depicting Shiite clerics are on display at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. What was intended to be a tribute to this Shiite holy city’s contributions to culture has instead given critics the opportunity to, well, wax lyrical about what they call the project’s faults instead.
( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 19, 2012, a man arranges the clothing on wax figures depicting Shiite clerics on display at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. Even before they go on display, the wax figures have become embroiled in controversy.
( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 22, 2012, a wax figure depicting a Shiite cleric is seen at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. Even before they go on display, the wax figures have become embroiled in controversy.
( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 19, 2012, wax figures depicting Shiite clerics are on display at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. Even before they go on display, the wax figures have become embroiled in controversy.
( Alaa al-Marjani / Associated Press ) - In this picture taken on Feb. 18, 2012, a man, left, and second from right, are seen with wax figures depicting Shiite clerics at the wax museum in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq. Even before they go on display, the wax figures have become embroiled in controversy.

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By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, March 21, 3:47 AM

NAJAF, Iraq — An exhibit of wax statues depicting some of Shiite Muslims’ most beloved clerics, aimed at paying tribute to this Iraqi holy city’s contributions to culture, has been dipped in controversy as some Sunnis decry the figures as heretical.

The wax sculptures are due to be displayed at a museum in Najaf, but even before the exhibit opens, some Sunni Muslims — rarely shy about highlighting their religious differences with Shiites — are denouncing them as a violation of Islamic law. Even some Shiite clerics are a bit leery.

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“Even those dead people whose statues are displayed (would have) disapproved of this,” said Ali Bashir al-Najafi, a spokesman for one of Iraq’s top Shiite clerics.

Some Muslim clerics of both sects interpret Islamic law as forbidding most depictions of people and even animals in art or other likenesses. They believe such likenesses could be perceived as false idols and, therefore, taboo.

The wax figures portray bearded clerics in turbans and politicians in freshly ironed suits. They include Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, who was beloved by Iraq’s Shiites for encouraging Friday prayers during Saddam Hussein’s regime. He was assassinated by Saddam’s agents in 1999. Also depicted is Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, who was born in Najaf and was Lebanon’s top Shiite cleric until his death in 2010.

All of the figures were either born, studied or buried in Najaf, located 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad. The city of roughly one million people is home to Iraq’s religious Shiite leadership, called the marjaiyah, and holds the tomb of Imam Ali, who Shiites consider the Prophet Muhammed’s rightful successor.

The exhibit is the brainchild of Sheik Ali Mirza, a Shiite cleric. He said he was inspired during a visit to a wax museum in Beirut that included a likeness of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Mirza said the figures in Najaf are so lifelike visitors sometimes “raise their hands to salute the statues as if they were alive.” He said the statues are all Shiite because the exhibit will be in Najaf, which he called “the Vatican of Shiite Muslims.”

The wax figures were originally intended to be part of festivities connected to the city being named the 2012 Islamic Capital of Culture. But the cultural arm of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation — the grouping of Islamic nations once known as the Organization of the Islamic Conference — announced recently that the festival has been canceled at the Iraqi government’s request.

The event had already been beset by accusations of mismanagement and corruption. But the wax figures are not going to just melt away. Officials said the figures will still be displayed at a Najaf museum.

The cleric knows the likenesses won’t be to everybody’s liking.

“The museum is a new idea and people need time to get used to it,” he said.

But some in Iraq’s Sunni minority are not getting used to it, reflecting the religious divide that is never far from the surface here. Even more so than Shiism, Sunni Islam has historically frowned on depictions of the human form. Many Iraqi Sunnis look down on the country’s Shiite majority because they allow depictions of Muslim figures in banners, flags or other religious paraphernalia. For Sunni extremists, this is just further proof of their accusation that Shiites are not true Muslims.
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Sunni extremists have sharply criticized the statues and Shiites who visit them.

“Believe it or not: wax museum for the turbaned in Najaf,” sneered a headline on one Sunni website.

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“Idols reached Najaf,” thundered another.

“The pre-Islam era of paganism is returning,” warned a comment on another website.

A leading Sunni cleric was more diplomatic.

“It is not right to erect statues whether made of wax or of anything else. That is haram (religiously forbidden) because it is an emulation of God’s creation,” said Sheik Ahmed al-Taha who is the preacher of the Abu Hanifa mosque in Baghdad, a key Sunni house of worship. “It is similar to what heathens do.”

Some Shiites are also uneasy. While Shiism allows more latitude for the depiction of faces or busts, the full-body wax figures are for many a step too far. Al-Najafi said it is OK to have half a statue but not the full body.

The hardline Shiite movement known as the Sadrists, followers of the late ayatollah, want the statue of al-Sadr taken down.

“The people behind this museum bear the responsibility before God,” said Hakim al-Zamili, a senior Sadrist lawmaker.

Mirza is careful not to speak against the marjaiyah, whose edicts are practically law in this Shiite majority country. But he points out that various Shiite clerics have different ideas about the statues’ appropriateness.

The statues have already become a hit with some Shiites. Curious onlookers have flocked to a religious school owned by Mirza where the statues are being kept until the museum opens.

“I am very impressed. I did not expect something like this. They seem so real,” one visiting cleric, Sheik Muhsen al-Najafi, told Mirza during a visit.

An activist in Najaf, Qassim Abdul-Sadda, said he was not very religious but went to see the wax statues about a month ago out of curiosity.

He took pictures of himself next to the statues and posted them on the Internet. When some of his friends realized they were wax figures, they called the statues “haram,” he said.

But he likes them.

“It is good to preserve the heritage of Najaf in this way by showing this generation and generations to come the scholars who had a great contribution to the history and culture of Najaf,” he said.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.