Tight Security For Shiite Gathering

(AP)  Millions of Shiite pilgrims thronged the streets of the holy city of Karbala Saturday for a religious festival, and Iraqi army and police deployed to prevent possible infiltration from suicide bombers.

About 4 million people were in Karbala for the festival observing the birthday of Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, a 9th-century religious leader, said Iraqi armed forces general command spokesman Brig. Qassim al-Musawi.

Iraqi army Maj. Gen. Samir Abdullah said Friday that security forces "have tightened their control on the ground and our only concern now is rockets launched from a far distance." Cars have been banned since Wednesday.

In Baghdad, a car bomb struck a U.S. military convoy, killing at least two passers-by and wounding five, police said. The U.S. military command did not release any information on possible U.S. casualties.

Iraqi authorities said police foiled an attempted car suicide bombing against a police station near a mosque in Baghdad's northern Azamiyah neighborhood. Police shot and killed the suicide bomber, detonating the explosives in his car, before he reached the police station, the Interior Ministry announced. But the blast killed one policeman and wounded 10 civilians, the ministry said.

In Karbala, authorities said 7,000 police, along with 2,000 Iraqi soldiers and 1,800 Interior Ministry commandos were securing the city, while Interior Ministry special forces were guarding its entrance.

The U.S.-led coalition was providing air support for the security measures, Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Samir Abdullah said Friday. The coalition said it would "be on hand for support if needed," but could not reveal further details for security reasons.

Many people walk to Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, from across the country, and there have been several attacks against processions heading to the city.

On Friday, three mortars struck a group of pilgrims in Musayyib, about 40 miles south of Baghdad, killing three and wounding 22.

Five days earlier, Iraqi soldiers clashed with gunmen near Karbala, leaving 14 militants and one Iraqi soldier dead, the prime minister's office said. Last week, 13 Pakistani and Indian Shiite pilgrims and their Iraqi driver were ambushed and killed as they drove to the city.

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[old300d]

and I don't think we can buy it for them.

[old300d]

The USA is spending billons trying to help religious freedom in Iraq. Yet these same people we are trying to protect would deny the Jews the right to go to their holiest site, the Temple Mount. People that don't allow or believe in religious freedom don't have it.