Al-Attiya visits Sistani to discuss security, political developments

Najaf-Attiya BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The visit paid by first Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Sheikh Khaled al-Attiya to top Shiite Cleric Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in Najaf aims at discussing political and security developments in Iraq,” a source close to the Shiite cleric’s office said. “Al-Sistani also visited Shiite clerics Ayatollah Mohamed Saeedn al-Hakim and Ayatollah Sheikh Mohamed Ishaq Fayad,” he added. A media source from al-Attiya’s office said had said earlier first Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Sheikh Khaled al-Attiya arrived on Thursday afternoon in Najaf and met with top Shiite cleric Sayyid Ali al-Sistani. Najaf, about 160 km south of Baghdad, has an estimated population of 900,600 in 2008, though this has increased significantly since 2003 due to immigration from abroad. The city is one of the holiest cities of Shiite Islam and the center of Shiite political power in Iraq. Najaf is renowned as the site of the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Taleb (also known as ““Imam Ali”), whom Shiites consider to be the righteous caliph and first imam. The city is now a great center of pilgrimage from throughout the Shiite Islamic world. It is estimated that only Mecca and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims. The Imam Ali Mosque is housed in a grand structure with a gilded dome and many precious objects in its walls. SH (S)/SR 1