Bombing of Shi'ite Shrine in Iraq Sparks Mass Protests
22 February 2006
A bomb attack has blown the huge dome off one of Iraq's most sacred Shi'ite shrines, sparking demonstrations across the country and fears of sectarian reprisals.
Authorities say men dressed as police tied up guards at the Askariya shrine in Samarra before setting off explosive charges and destroying its 100-year-old golden dome.
Shi'ite Muslims took to the streets of Samarra, Baghdad and other towns to protest the attack, and several Sunni mosques were attacked.
Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, declared seven days of mourning and urged protesters to refrain from violence. The country's leading Sunni Arab religious body also condemned the attack.
Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani called for calm and Muslim unity as Iraq's Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds try to agree on a new government.
Authorities say no one was killed in the blast. They say several suspects are in custody.
Insurgents have attacked Shi'ite targets in iraq for three straight days. At least 32 people were killed in separate attacks in predominantly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad on Monday and Tuesday.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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