Picking up on Khamenei’s accusation. Note how AP reports this conspiracy paranoia without a hint of how outlandish it is, or with any reply from anyone back on planet earth. “Scholars reject attacks in Najaf, Karbala,” with thanks to Ruth King for the link:
CAIRO: A Muslim scholars union yesterday condemned twin bombings this week in the holy Shiite cities of Najaf and Karbala that left 67 people dead.
The International Association of Muslim Scholars suggested the attacks could be connected with Zionist (Israeli) and other international intelligence agencies and aimed at damaging Iraq’s social cohesion.
“Even as the Association denounces the horrible crimes in Najaf and Karbala, it calls on all Sunni and Shiite scholars to get together soon to agree on ways to stand in the face of these conspiracies and treacheries,” it said in a statement.
The association, which groups Sunni and Shiite scholars, is based in London and headed by Egyptian-born Sheikh Youssef Al Qaradawi who lives in Qatar. It was founded with the aim of helping Muslims in the West adapt to their adopted countries.
Qaradawi, of course, is the famous “reformist” (according to John Esposito) who endorses suicide bombing.
Saturday”s statement said the attackers aimed at “harming Islam and Muslims by carrying out acts which look like acts of resistance … but in fact, they are meant to distort the image of the honest resistance.” It also called on all “honest” Iraqi resistance factions to deplore these attacks.