IIP says targeting Iranian pilgrims is impermissible, illegal

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party (IPP) condemned the recent deadly bombing attacks in the northern Baghdad area of al-Kadhemiya and the city of Baaquba, noting targeting Iranian pilgrims is “religiously impermissible and legally unacceptable”. “The IIP is denouncing the criminal blasts that claimed the lives of scores of innocent people in al-Kadhemiya and Baaquba,” according to a statement by the party as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The IIP, which is led by Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, called on the security agencies to “intensify efforts and realize security to throw a spanner in schemes that only aim to ignite schism”. Iraqi police sources had told IraqiNews.com on Friday (April 24) that more than 60 people, including 25 Iranians, were killed and 125 others, including 80 Iranians, were wounded when two suicide bombers with explosive belts blew themselves up amidst a group of pilgrims visiting the Shiite shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhem in the areas of al-Sharif al-Radi and Bab al-Murad in al-Kadhemiya, northwestern Baghdad. An earlier suicide bombing attack in Diala on Thursday (April 23) killed 47, including 45 Iranians, and wounded 70 others, mostly Iranians too. AmR (S)/SR 1