Reuters: Gunmen clash with Iraqi soldiers in Kerbala

[Eugene]

Gunmen clash with Iraqi soldiers in Kerbala
Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:33am ET

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) - Gunmen loyal to a hardline anti-American Shi'ite cleric
clashed with Iraqi soldiers on Tuesday in Kerbala, raising tensions in the southern
city, army sources said.

Army sources said the trouble began after Iraqi forces stormed the religious school
of cleric Mahmoud al-Hasani and searched for weapons.

His office said the raids took place because of "the nationalist attitude of this
cleric opposing the (U.S.) occupation".

Hasani's Web site identifies him as a grand ayatollah, the highest clerical rank
among Shi'ites.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-08-15T073248Z_01_L15334146_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-KERBALA.xml