02-09-05, 17:11 | #1 |
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Sad Celebration 31 Aug 2005 11:36:00
By Vivian Papastefanou Ε-mail Print The number of dead from the tragedy today in the Tigris River in Baghdad is expected to reach 1,000. As per the Ministry for the Interior the victims are 852, in their majority women and children, while the injured are 323. The crowd of Iraqi pilgrims was on its way to the Kadhimiya mosque to commemorate Musa Al-Kadhim, the seventh Shiite imam, when rumours speaking of a suicide bomber ready to detonate himself spread a panic wave. Hundreds of people drowned when falling off the bridge. Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari declared a three-day mourning. On his part, Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabor stated that a terrorist was involved, who spread the rumour that there was a suicide bomber among the crowd and resulted in the panic and stampede. An Iraqi official stated to public television "people started pushing each other when a terrorist spread the rumour that a kamikaze was amid the people." Responsibilities Sought For The Iraqi Police announced that 50 Shiites lost their lives from food poisoning, which as per information is due to a criminal act. Earlier, seven people were killed and 36 injured in three different mortar shell attacks against the crowd of pilgrims. The scenes are dramatic in the hospitals of Baghdad where hundreds of people are seeking their loved ones. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani stated, "Today is a tragic day that will remain carved in the Iraqi people’s hearts." In the meantime, the people’s wrath continues. A Shiite source accused the authorities of placing many obstacles on the bridge, which resulted in the crowd not being able to escape. Also two high-rank Shiite officials accused Islamist rebels and Saddam Hussein followers of intentionally causing the panic Moreover, the Minister of Health, Abdel Mutalib Mohammed Ali, asked from the Ministers of Defence and Interior to resign and cast them responsible over the tragedy. The President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, and the Prime Minister, Kostas Karamanlis, expressed their support and their condolences to the victims’ families. |
02-09-05, 20:07 | #2 |
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OMG that is so sad
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02-09-05, 20:58 | #3 |
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Oh Dear Lord, this is so tragic! I feel so sorry for them...
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02-09-05, 21:08 | #4 |
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That's horrible to hear, I feel sorry for them too, TRM.
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03-09-05, 01:59 | #5 |
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Joined: Apr 2005
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It's not really sad anymore because I'm getting use to these types of tragedies happening all the time.
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03-09-05, 08:29 | #6 |
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Joined: May 2004
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Thats true Camera Obscura !unfortunately!
Believe me i stoped to watch news on tv,i am getting sick all the time! |
03-09-05, 13:17 | #7 |
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Thats like sooo bad.
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03-09-05, 17:45 | #8 |
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Poor children...
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