Shia clerics deny opposing Iraqi resistance

[Aidoneus]

Shia clerics deny opposing Iraqi resistance
Sunday 29 August 2004

Iraq's top Shia authority is denying media reports that it has opposed armed resistance against the US occupation of the country.

Speaking to Aljazeera, Hamid al-Khafaf, the spokesman for Grand Ayat Allah Ali al-Sistani, denied that the Shia authority in a meeting on Saturday expressed opposition to armed resistance.

"I confirm that there was no agreement among the Shia religious leaders on not resisting the multinational forces and the news was groundless and false," al-Khafaf said.

Ali Bashir al-Najafi, the spokesman for Grand Ayat Allah Bashir al-Najafi, also denied that "armed resitance against the occupation" was discussed in the meeting.

"The meeting was mainly intended to visit Ayat Allah al-Sistani to ask about his health, review what was achieved of his initiative to end the crisis in Najaf and express concern over the current situation in both Najaf and Kufa," he said.

The meeting of the group known as the Marjaiya came two days after al-Sistani persuaded Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr to end a three-week battle against US and interim Iraqi government forces in Najaf.

--snip--

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/11EEED76-768F-4D23-89BD-934BED736358.htm

of note, Grand Ayat. Bashir an-Najafi is a probable successor to Sayyid Sistani and does not take a similar political approach.

[Maddy McCall]

1. Link?

[Aidoneus]

2. added, thanks.

stepped away for a minute before sending, seems I didn't finish pasting/writing all that I had meant to.

[Maddy McCall]

4. Thanks!

:hi:

[acmavm]

3. Okay, so does that mean the there's still a real good possibility of

the whole place going up in flames?

Good work George. It's time you got suited up again and went and got a first hand look at Mission Accomplished.

on edit: And take your banner with you, dumbshit.

[xchrom]

5. of course not.

if the iraqi soccer team thinks of iraq as OCCUPIED -- then just about every body else does.
ali sistani is the major political force in iraq -- and while he may talk to americans and even agree with americans about some things -- he opposes the continued presence of OCCUPYING forces in his country.

[leftchick]

6. Hmmm, I am a little confused here....

I saw an Al-Sistani adviser interviewed in London on the BBC and he seemed to make it clear that Grand Ayat Allah Ali al-Sistani wanted nothing to do with politics. He is a sprirtual leader and believes in keeping that seperate from the politics of Iraq.

Perhaps this Grand Ayat. Bashir an-Najafi feels quite diffenently about politics and is making a move?

:shrug: