Millions converge for Shi'ite festival скачать в хорошем качестве

Millions converge for Shi'ite festival

(20 Sep 2005) 1. Wide shot people walking outside holy shrine of Imam al-Hussein after religious holiday celebrating birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi 2. Medium shot people outside shrine of Imam al-Hussein 3. Crowds coming out of shrine 4. Shrine exit sign 5. People coming out of shrine 6. People cleaning up streets 7. Man folding celebratory items in a sheet 8. Banner in Arabic reading: "Pilgrims exit" 9. Various of people leaving area 10. Wide shot of shrine of Imam al-Hussein 11. Various of people wrapping up tents 12. Pilgrims leaving STORYLINE Iraqi Shiite pilgrims in Karbala began packing up their belongings as celebrations marking the birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi drew to a close without violent incident on Tuesday. Some estimates said up to three million pilgrims - jammed the holy city of Karbala amid heavy security for the major Shiite festival, in defiance of insurgent declarations of all-out sectarian war. Security was so tight that authorities had banned vehicles from entering the city for several days before the holiday and pilgrims were forced to pass through seven checkpoints before reaching the holy shrines. About 6,000 policemen and Iraqi army troops were also deployed in and near the city, and two leading Shiite militias provided additional security around the shrines of Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas. The festival marked the 868 A.D. birth of Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi, whose unexplained disappearance in the 9th century has led Shiites to believe he will reappear on doomsday to lead believers to a just Islamic state. Al-Mahdi is viewed by Shiites as the most important of their 12 major religious figures and a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. The occasion is one of the holiest dates in the Shiite religious calendar. Shiites make up 60 per cent of Iraq's estimated 26 (m) million population. They have been the target of sectarian violence at the hands of insurgents from the Sunni Muslim minority, especially during important Shiite religious festivals. Last week, Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaida in Iraq declared an all-out war on the country's Shiite majority. But while the festival was being celebrated, al-Zarqawi purportedly issued a new vow, promising he would not attack followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and other Shiite leaders opposed to Iraq's US-backed government and the occupying forces.. 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...