A Sunni Muslim cleric was shot dead Saturday after he left a mosque in Baghdad, a spokesman for a religious group said.
Sheik Dhamer al-Dhari was walking down a street near his mosque when gunmen opened fire from a car, killing him, according to Sheikh Mohammed al-Faidhy, spokesman of the Association of Muslim Scholars.
Al-Dhari was not a leading member of the association but his half brother, Hareth al-Dhari, serves as the organization’s secretary-general.
The Association of Muslim Scholars is a Sunni Muslim organization formed to represent the interests of the Sunni community.
Last week, the association issued a statement saying that “no one in his right mind” would reject elections in principle “but at the same time we don’t want to have nominal or hasty elections and pay a hefty price for that”.
Al-Faidhy, the association spokesman, said he expected more such attacks in the run-up to the scheduled June 30 transfer of sovereignty from the occupation to an Iraqi leadership as different groups compete for power.
“We expect...that Iraq would witness many of such operations to create chaos and kindle strife,” he said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
