WRAP Pilgrims attend Ashoura festival in Karbala and Baghdad скачать в хорошем качестве

WRAP Pilgrims attend Ashoura festival in Karbala and Baghdad

(18 Feb 2005) PLEASE NOTE SHOTS 6 to 10 ARE MUTE Karbala 1. Wide shot of Imam Al Hussein shrine 2. Mid shot of shrine 4. Police on street, one of them inspects woman''s bag 5. Security officer searches man at shrine checkpoint 6. Policemen and three arrested suspects entering room in Karbala police station 7. Seized weapons on table 8. Suspects with hoods on their heads 9. Handcuffed suspects 10. Weapons and suspects in the background Baghdad 11. Crowd of thousands near Al Kholani mosque in centre of Baghdad 12. UPSOUND: (Arabic) Allahu Akbar - God is great 12. Young men slapping their backs with chains 13. UPSOUND: Drums 14. Hundreds of people making circles and slapping their chests 15. Coffins covered with Iraqi flags 16. Set up shot of Al Hakim 14. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Abdul Aziz Al Hakim the leader of the Supreme Council of Islamic revolution in Iraq and top figure of the Iraqi united alliance: "We are with the Iraqi people because they are partners in this country and there is no a sect or group of people to possess Iraq on the account of another people, but this does not mean we will forget the rights of the Iraqis who have been oppressed and not judge those criminals who made crimes against them." 15. UPSOUND: (Arabic) Crowd chanting: "By our blood and souls we redeem ourselves for you Hakim." STORYLINE: Iraq partially sealed its land borders on Friday - part of increased security on the eve of Ashoura - the holiest day of the Shiite Muslim calendar. Meanwhile violence persisted around the country. In Karbala, south of Baghdad, where celebrations will be centered, security was in evidence around the Imam Al Hussein shrine. Shiites are celebrating the Islamic holy month of Muharram and Saturday is Ashoura, the 10th day of Muharram and the holiest day of the year for them. The day marks the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad, in a 7th century battle for leadership of the Islamic world. Karbala police found the bodies of two police officers, both the sons of the chief of police of Najaf, another southern Shiite city, said Karbala police spokesman Rahman Mushawi. It was not clear who killed the two men. Their father, Ghalib al-Jazaeni, said they had been kidnapped earlier. Their hands were bound and they had been shot several times in the head. Meanwhile in Baghdad thousands gathered near Al Kholani mosque in the city centre as police set up extra security checkpoints around the city. Iraq''s fledgling government is trying to avert the bloodshed that marred Ashoura last year, when twin blasts ripped through crowds of worshippers at Shiite Muslim shrines in Baghdad and Karbala, killing at least 181 people. Iraq''s land borders will be partially closed from Friday to Tuesday, according to a government spokesman. Exceptions include trucks carrying food or oil, while Baghdad''s international airport will remain open for flights, al-Naqeeb and aviation industry officials said. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...