Ex-Iraqi leader claims assassination attempt
Allawi chased from mosque while campaigning in Najaf
Sunday, December 4, 2005; Posted: 2:19 p.m. EST (19:19 GMT)
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi was chased from a shrine in Najaf on Sunday in what he said was an apparent attempt on his life.
"We were on a visit to the holy city of Najaf and also to meet some religious figures," Allawi said. "We went then to the holy shrine of Imam Ali, and during the prayer, a group of people -- and they were about 60 people dressed in black carrying machetes and pistols -- started chanting against us, and it appeared to be an assassination attempt.
"We believe they were a group of hooligans, but what happened will give us more resolve to chase outlaw groups and bring them before justice and to clean up the holy shrines from those people," Allawi said. (Watch the former Iraqi leader flee from the mosque -- 3:12)
Members of Allawi's campaign team said the incident may have been organized by a religious Shiite militia group.
During his exit, Allawi made his way through the crowd to his heavily armored convoy, and U.S. Apache helicopter gunships arrived to escort the convoy away from the area.
Also Sunday, Iraqi security forces said they uncovered a plot by a Sunni insurgent group to attack the site of Saddam Hussein's trial, which is set to resume Monday in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, two U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday in a roadside bombing in the capital, the U.S. military said.
Allawi, a secular Shiite Muslim and former exile, was in Najaf to meet with religious leaders as part of his campaign for Iraqi parliament. The national election is set for December 15.
CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson, who was traveling with Allawi, said it was not clear if anyone in the crowd had fired on the group, but members of Allawi's campaign team said shots were fired at them. (On the Scene: "Bullet casings were flying around us")
The Najaf governor's secretary, Sadiq al-Jabiri, said the incident took place at 1 p.m.
"We do not condone this act, but it might happen anywhere in the world, especially when it comes to political leaders and figures," al-Jabiri said.
In 2004, Allawi clashed with militia loyal to Najaf's powerful Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr. Militia had taken over the shrine, leading to a standoff with Iraqi and U.S. forces.
Allawi's Iraqi National Accord had a poor showing in the last election, which eventually saw the National Assembly choose the Islamic Dawa party's Ibrahim al-Jaafari to take over the government.
This month's election will be the first under the new constitution approved by the assembly.
CNN's Nic Robertson and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
Angry Shi'ites pelt Iraq ex-PM Allawi - police
04 Dec 2005 12:28:42 GMT
Source: Reuters
NAJAF, Iraq, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Iraqi police said an angry crowd forced former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to cut short a visit to Iraq's holiest Shi'ite Muslim shrine during an election campaign trip to the city of Najaf on Sunday.
Aides to the secular Shi'ite politician, who is mounting a strong challenge to the ruling Shi'ite Islamist parties ahead of next week's parliamentary vote, were not available for comment.
A police captain, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a large crowd of worshippers at the Imam Ali mosque hurled sandals and shoes at Allawi -- a grave insult in Iraqi culture.
Permalink | 15 comments