Top Iraqi cleric condemns church bombings: "Iraq's top Shiite Muslim cleric on Monday condemned as "hideous crimes" the coordinated bomb attacks on five churches in Baghdad and Mosul that killed 11 people and marked the first major attacks Iraq's minority Christians since the insurgency began."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
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Claim : Babylon damaged By Military: "From Reuters, via the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) :
Foreign forces in Iraq have caused severe damage to the site of ancient Babylon, one of the world's most renowned archaeological treasures, and need to leave the area as soon as possible, Iraq's Culture Minister Mofeed al-Jazaeri said."
Heavy equipment, helicopters and other machinery used by Polish-led forces based at Babylon, 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, are causing irreparable harm, Mr Jazaeri said.
" Just their presence, with their heavy equipment, is harmful in and of itself ," the minister told Reuters, saying that helicopters landing and taking off were a particular problem.
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Describing anecdotal accounts of the damage, Mr Jazaeri said ancient roofs and walls had collapsed and buildings had decayed.
He also said that workers employed by United States contracting firm Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR), a subsidiary of Halliburton, had been digging and building in the area around Babylon, causing further damage.
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Polish commanders and KBR representatives were not immediately available for comment.
Iraqi officials raised the issue of the Babylon damage in June with the former US governor in Iraq, Paul Bremer, and the former coalition commander, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, who issued a statement saying they were aware of the complaints.
In Command Post: Irak
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Iraq Government Blames Zarqawi for Church Bombings: "Iraq's government blamed al Qaeda allyAbu Musab al-Zarqawi on Monday for a series of church bombingsthat killed at least 11 people, saying the aim was to sparkreligious strife and drive Christians out of the country. (Reuters)"
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Allawi tells Kuwaitis Iraq upholds UN resolutions on eve of invasion anniversary: "Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi assured his Kuwaiti hosts that Baghdad upholds UN resolutions demarcating the border between the two countries and providing for war reparations, state KUNA news agency reported. (AFP)"
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Blasts on Iraqi Christian Churches Kill 11: "Assailants launched the first major attack on Iraq's minority Christians since the insurgency began, triggering a coordinated series of explosions outside five churches in Baghdad and Mosul that killed 11 people and injured more than 50. (AP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Terrorism Suspects Traced to Iran: "PARIS - Despite its periodic crackdowns on the terrorist network, Iran has served as a refuge for Al Qaeda operatives suspected of plotting attacks in Europe and the Middle East and of playing a central role in the Iraqi insurgency, European investigators say. (Los Angeles Times)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
