BASRAH ERUPTS AFTER DESTRUCTION OF SAMARRA MOSQUE

UNCLAS BASRAH 000026

SIPDIS

SBU
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PTER IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH ERUPTS AFTER DESTRUCTION OF SAMARRA MOSQUE


1. (SBU) Summary: Protests erupted in Basrah after the media
carried stories of the destruction of the Golden Mosque in
Samarra. The Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) building was attacked
and damaged and several IIP party members were injured. No
deaths have been confirmed at this time. More demonstrations
are expected in the days ahead. End Summary.


2. (U) The explosion of the Golden Mosque in Samarra on
February 22 triggered Shia demonstrations throughout southern
Iraq. Demonstrations and gatherings turned violent in Basrah,
and the following briefly describes the events on this date as
reported to the Regional Embassy Office (REO) by its employees
and contacts. Septel reports the meeting of the REO's Emergency
Action Committee.


3. (SBU) Shortly after noon, 100-150 agitated demonstrators
gathered outside the Basrah Office of the Martyr Sadr (OMS)
headquarters. A REO local employee described the demonstrators
as Jayish Al Mahdi fighters armed with AK-47s, who said they
were waiting for orders from Muqtada al Sadr. Muqtada al Sadr
later issued a statement calling for peaceful demonstrations
only, and that no mosques should be touched. A local journalist
contacted the REO and reported that markets were closing to
allow people to attend the OMS demonstration. Local clerics in
Basrah reportedly called on their congregations to join the OMS
demonstration. Seyid Ali Al Musawi led a demonstration in front
of the Grand Mosque in Basrah condemning Sunnis.


3. (SBU) A National Democratic Institute representative
present at the REO received a call from the IIP campaign
manager, who stated that he and two other party members were
trapped in the IIP headquarter building and that an angry mob
was attacking the building. He called again later to report
that they had escaped the building and no one had been killed,
but that the three of them had received gunshot wounds. He
reported that the IIP building was completely destroyed.
Another IIP party member reported that the attack on the
headquarters resulted in several deaths and injuries, but REO
staff was unable to verify this information. British military
reportedly arrived at the IIP building several hours after the
attack began; REO Basrah has not yet been able to compare our
reports with that of the British military. (Comment: REO
Basrah received other reports that the IIP was damaged but not
destroyed. We presently are unable to verify the extent of
damage, but earlier reports of extensive fire damage have not
been confirmed. If REO personnel are able to visit the area
near the IIP building on February 23, we will provide an update.
End comment.)


4. (SBU) Al Arabiya television reported that the Sunni Al Ashra
Mubashrah mosque, located in the Al Ma'qil area of Basrah, had
been destroyed. Agence France Presse reported that a mosque in
the Al Zubair area of Basrah had been attacked. Somerai
television reported that the Iraqi Army had been deployed in
Basrah and was guarding the Talha grave, a Sunni holy site,
located on the main road to Zubair.


5. (SBU) The Basrah Provincial Council (BPC) convened an
emergency session to decide on a course of action. Sadr and
Fadillah party members reportedly gathered on outside of the
council building, calling for an investigation into the attack
on the Golden Mosque in Samarra.


6. (SBU) Comment: The situation in Basrah remains very tense,
and more demonstrations are expected in the days ahead. There
is increased reporting of the possibility of indirect fire at
the Basrah Palace compound on February 22, and the REO expects
that local demonstrations will disrupt its normal interactions
with contacts for the next few days. With REO local staff
released from work until February 26, our best sources for
information have been diminished, but we will continue to report
developments as we obtain information. End Comment.

GROSS