Hey, it's what they do. The violence and mayhem always follow Friday prayer.
Crowds rampage in Iraqi Kurdish city after sermons
Rioters attacked liquor stores, a massage parlor and hotels after being stirred up by fiery sermons in a predominantly Kurdish city in north Iraq, police officials said today.Pro-government crowds then attacked Islamist party offices in retaliation, they said.
Thirty people including 20 policemen were reported injured in the rampage, which followed Friday midday prayers in the town of Zakho, some 300 miles northwest of Baghdad. Zakho lies within the territory controlled by Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government.
Some 30 liquor stores, four hotels, and a massage parlor in and around the city near the Turkish border were ransacked, set on fire or otherwise damaged, they said.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
UPDATE: Over at Jihad Watch Robert has been posting information on these Muslim mob riots from an eyewitness on the scene, including photos and video:
More photos: Muslim mob destroys Christian-owned businesses after Friday prayers Jihad Watch
Here are more photos of the expression of Islamic piety in Iraqi Kurdistan Friday. After Friday prayers, Muslim mobs promptly misunderstood Islam: they left mosques and ransacked Christian-owned liquor stores and other businesses. I am sure the mainstream media reports will be along presently to tell us that this has nothing to do with Islam.
Of course -- in case anyone doesn't realize -- to say that this mob of savages misunderstood Islam is sarcasm. The mob didn't misunderstand Islam at all. Clearly they were acting upon what they heard in the khutba, the Friday sermon. They stormed out of the mosque and took vengeance against Christians they regarded as "spreading corruption in the land" (cf. Qur'an 5:33).
These photos were sent to me by the same Iraqi reader who has been sending us regular reports (earlier coverage, including more photos and video, here, here, and here). These photos come courtesy Ankawa.com here and here.
Iraq: Muslim mob shouting "Allahu akbar" attacks, ransacks, burns Christian-owned shops and hotels
I just received this email from a reader in Iraq:
Subject: Muslims attacked our liquor shops, salons, hotelsMessage: Hello, I'm an Assyrian in Iraq. Today after Friday prayers, Muslim Kurds in Zakho (near Dohuk) attacked and besieged liquor shops, salons, hotels, massages that are owned by Christians. The security didn't do anything and the rampage has continued til now! You won't see this news in the media.
Indeed not. But you will see it at Jihad Watch.
UPDATE 1:23PM PST: I just received this new message from the same man on the scene in Iraq:
Thank you so much for putting the news out there, Robert.The attacks haven't stopped, and I just go the word that they are ATTACKING a Catholic Diocesan office.
The security is standing still and watching as I am writing this to you.
Christian homes are being fired upon as well.
And I just learned that they're starting to attack small villages on the outskirts of the town as well. This could be a major news as it unfolds.
It seems to me that it already is.
Robert has more photos here.
