WRAP Shiite attacks on Sunni mosques, protest in Sadr-City, Sunni, Shiite comment

(23 Feb 2006)
Sadr City
1. Wide shot demonstrators chanting pro-Islam slogans
2. Various of demonstrators brandishing guns and chanting
Sadr City
3. Ismaeel al-Inizi, senior aide to the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, addressing demonstrators
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ismaeel al-Inizi senior aide to the radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr:
''The al-Mahdi army (Sadr militiamen) have to protect the holy places from now and then in Samara in particular and other mosques and holy shrines. ''
4.Demonstrators carrying picture of Moqtada al-Sadr and chanting
Baghdad
5. Emblem of the Iraqi National Dialogue
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khalif aI-ILayan, Head of the Iraqi National Dialogue party (Sunni party):
''We strongly condemned the heinous aggression on the holy Shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi and his son Peace be upon them. And I'd like to clarify that the purpose behind such attack on the holy Shrine was to arouse sectarian sedition which the enemies have failed to arouse between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.''
Bayaa neighbourhood, Baghdad
7. Exterior of al-Kubeisi Sunni mosque
8. Medium of the damaged mosque
9. Sign reading ''al-Kubeisi mosque''
10. Bullet impact on the facade of the mosque
11. Close up of impact on facade
Abu Dishir neighbourhood, Baghdad
12. Sign reading: "Yassin mosque"
13. Exterior of damaged Yassin Sunni mosque
14. Smashed window
15. Damaged dome (filmed from inside)
16. Debris inside mosque
17. Interior of mosque with burnt goods and smoke still smouldering
18. Close up of burnt item
19. Young man picking up burnt out holy books
20. Wide of damage inside mosque
Baghdad
21. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khalif aI-ILayan, Head of the Iraqi National Dialogue party (Sunni party):
''We appeal to Sunni Muslims not to be deceived by such scheming planned and implemented by foreign intelligence and to practice self-restraint and respond to the riot and chaos.''
22. People looking at newspapers
23. Various of newspapers on display
24. Headline reading: "Sectarian fire whose fuel are mosques and holy shrines."
25. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Vox pop, Mohammed Ali, Shiite:
"The aggression on mosques was caused by elements aiming to plant sedition and sectarian war. But thanks to God, the Clerics have banned such acts."
26. Man reading newspaper
27. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Vox pop, Yassir Fakri, Sunni:
"Bombing the holy shrines of Imam Ali al-Hadi and his son is a vicious aggression. The holy shrine does not only concern Shiite or Sunnis. It is for all Muslims. This aggression will generate a sectarian divide."
28. Street scene
STORYLINE:
A major Sunni Arab bloc on Thursday suspended talks with Shiite and Kurdish parties on a new government after scores of Sunni mosques were attacked and dozens of bodies found in a wave of reprisal violence, following the bombing of a leading Shiite shrine in Samarra.
The hardline Sunni clerical Association of Muslim Scholars said 168 Sunni mosques were attacked, 10 imams killed and 15 abducted. The figures could not be independently confirmed.
Police reported the discovery of at least 46 bodies scattered across Iraq, many of them shot execution-style and dumped in Shiite-dominated parts of the capital, Baghdad.
Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr slammed the Iraqi government and US forces for not protecting the Samarra shrine, also known as the Golden Mosque, and ordered his militia to defend Shiite holy sites across Iraq.
Sunni leaders have condemned the wave of violence and called for restraint.
Fires could still be seen burning inside on Thursday morning.

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