Interior minister in Karbala to discuss Shiite pilgrimage plan

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: Interior Minister Jawad al-Boulani arrived in Karbala on Friday and held a meeting with security commanders to discuss the security plan of the Arbaeen pilgrimage, scheduled on Feb.5, a media official said. “The minister will supervise the plan and will head operations command of the city,” Major Alaa Abbas told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Arbaeen pilgrimage is a religious occasion marking the 40th day after the death of Imam al-Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and the third holiest figure for Shiite Muslims, in the battle of Taf in Karbala in the Hijri year 61 (680 in the Gregorian calendar). Karbala is 110 km southwest of Baghdad. SH (P) 1