FBI Asked to Probe Deadly Iraq Blast

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=2&u=/ap/20030831/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

By TAREK AL-ISSAWI, Associated Press Writer

NAJAF, Iraq - Vowing revenge and beating their chests, more than 300,000 Shiites marched Sunday behind the rose-strewn coffin of a beloved cleric assassinated in a car bombing. Najaf leaders asked the FBI (news - web sites) for help investigating the blast, which killed 125 people.


Iraqi police said the bomb that exploded after noon prayers Friday at the vast Imam Ali mosque contained the equivalent of 1,650 pounds of TNT.


The call for the FBI to join the investigation represented a shift after U.S. authorities had taken a hands-off approach — out of deference to the sacredness of the mosque, which houses the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali. Iraqi police say 19 suspects arrested so far may have links to al-Qaida.


Many Shiites have blamed Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) loyalists for the blast, but it has also stoked anger at the U.S. occupation forces among some faithful, who say the Americans have not provided security since Saddam's fall.
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Does the FBI really need to go helping with pissing off Iraqis? We already have professionals over there doing that.

[grasswire]

1. why do they keep sending the FBI into these things?

Why not the CIA? Why not DIA?
It seems very strange to me except for the fact that Mueller is a Bush fixer.

[BiggJawn]

2. FBI's already On It...

They're interogating Dr. Hatfill again.

[bvar22]

3. Iraqi police say they MAY have links to Al-Qaida....

....then again, maybe not....maybe Al-Qaidqa...maybe not.

They may have ties to the IRAQI RESISTANCE MOVEMENT, as these groups were called last week in the Asian Press.

I guess rummy will have to update his belief that this is just a handful of isolated dead-ender Saddam loyalists.

[jburton]

4. Richard Jewel #1 suspect... (n/t)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. That went well.