US forces raid Sahla mosque – site of all prophets (p)

By: Ismail Zabeeh

KUFA, Iraq: AS US forces launched their first incursion into the center of Kufa killing at least 32 militiamen of Moqtada As-Sadr at a mosque compound during a raid on the mosque early Sunday, Iran rejected accusations that Ahmad Chalabi, once a favored Iraqi exile of the Bush administration, passed classified intelligence to Tehran.

It must be known that no mosque excels but Sahla Mosque after Kufa’s great mosque which is one of the four great mosques of the world: the holy Ka’aba, Prophet (p)’s mosque, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Kufa Mosque.

Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (p), the 6th infallible descendant of holy Prophet Muhammad (p), says: “O Abu Basir! As if I’m seeing Sahib-ul-Amr (the last descendant of holy Prophet (p)) coming in the Sahla Mosque along with his family, and this will be his place. And Allah has not sent any Prophet/ Messenger but he offered prayer in this mosque. And he who stays in this mosque is as if he stays in the holy Prophet (p)’s camp.”

Imam (p) further said: “In this mosque there is a rock in which there is picture of every messenger (of Allah)… this is one of those sites that are liked by God. There is no day and no night but angels come to visit this mosque and worship God here.”

The Imam (p) said: “O Abu Muhammad, the excellence that is not yet described of this mosque is much more than that is narrated.” Abu Basir said: “May I ransom you! Will Imam Al-Qaem (the last descendant of holy Prophet (p)) always be here in this mosque?” Imam (p) replied: “Yes.” Ulema go to this mosque every Wednesday for visit.

The military said American forces fought militiamen near Kufa's Sahla mosque, then raided it. Soldiers seized a machine gun, two mortar tubes and over 200 mortar rounds as well as rocket-propelled grenade launchers and rounds, according to a statement.

Mosque employee Radhi Muhammad said American troops smashed the gate to the mosque complex with an armored vehicle and killed people inside. An Associated Press photographer saw bloodstains on the ground that indicated someone had been dragged for at least 10 yards. There also was blood in the mosques bathrooms.

The military stressed that Iraqi security forces entered the mosque before any Americans.

Head of the central council of tribes in the Najaf area Sheik Mansoor Al-Asadi said he was “astonished” over the Kufa raid saying it undermined efforts by local leaders to resolve the standoff between As-Sadr and the coalition peacefully.

The Iran foreign ministry said Sunday that Tehran has sent a “warning” message to the United States through the Swiss Embassy concerning Washington's actions in Iraq. A spokesman said Iran wanted “the departure of the occupation forces as quickly as possible and the restitution of authority to the Iraqi people.”

Iran denied that it received confidential information from Chalabi, a senior member of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council.

Speaking at a news conference, the foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said: “We had continuous and permanent dialogue with Chalabi and other members of the Iraqi Governing Council… But spying charges are unfounded and baseless. It's not true at all.”

Chalabi also denied on Sunday accusations that he handed over US secrets to Iran and challenged the CIA director to a duel before Congress. His home and offices were raided by Iraqi police backed by American soldiers on Friday.

Meanwhile, a leaked UK Foreign Office memo says senior British officials were critical of the United States for its “heavy-handed” tactics in quelling unrest in Iraq. Excerpts of the memo were published in The Sunday Times on Saturday.

Separately, reports said British and American troops are to be granted immunity from prosecution in Iraq after the crucial 30 June handover, undermining claims that the new Iraqi government will have 'full sovereignty' over the state. Despite widespread ill-feeling on prisoner abuse, coalition forces will be protected from any legal action. They will only be subject to their domestic law.

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