The Hindu : Front Page : Rallies in Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006
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Rallies in Iraq

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: Curfew on Monday in several parts of Iraq failed to subdue rallies in support of and against award of death sentence to deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The Iraqi High Tribunal on Sunday sentenced Mr. Hussein and two of his co-defendants to death for their role in the killing of 148 persons in 1982 in the mainly Shia village of Dujail.

Exposing Iraq's sectarian fault lines, around 250 supporters of Mr. Hussein marched on the streets of the Sunni dominated city of Baqouba, 60 km northeast of Baghdad. Iraqi troops broke up the demonstration as it violated curfew.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Samarra, denouncing the verdict and seeking the ouster of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. In the Shia dominated town of Hilla, around 500 demonstrators applauded the verdict and chanted slogans, denouncing Mr. Hussein.

Security forces shut down two television stations for airing comments that could "incite violence."

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf on Sunday said Mr. Maliki had approved the closure of the Al-Zawraa and Salahuddin stations, which backed Sunnis.

Streets of Baghdad were mostly deserted. Curfew in the city was enforced with the help of a string of additional checkpoints.

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