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Bomb explodes in mosque wounding 16 worshippers
Kandahar, July 01:A bomb ripped through a mosque in southern Kandahar city as worshippers gathered for the final prayer of the day, wounding 16 people, four of them seriously,a religious leader said.
Kandahar, July 01:A bomb ripped through a mosque in southern Kandahar city as worshippers gathered for the final prayer of the day, wounding 16 people, four of them seriously,a religious leader said.
No one took responsibility for the remote-controlled
bomb, which Mullah Abdullah Fayaz said was hidden beneath a
vest.
"I looked over and saw this waistcoat and then the explosion occurred", he said yesterday, still trembling from the shock of the explosion. "I am sure it was hidden beneath it." Fayaz blamed the former ruling Taliban and their al-Qaida allies. About two months ago, Fayaz issued a fatwa or religious edict condemning the Taliban`s interpretation of Islam. He believes that is why his mosque and religious school, or madrassa, was attacked. "In his fatwa, Mullah Fayaz said the Taliban were not following Islam and that their interpretation of Islam was wrong", Kandahar police chief Mohammed Akram said. "This is the important thing and the reason they probably attacked Mullah Fayaz`s mosque".
Akram said he had offered Fayaz additional protection, but he refused saying his security was sufficient.
Fayaz said he had just completed the last of the five prayers devout Muslims say each day when the bomb exploded.
Fayaz is head of Kandahar`s religious council, which is aligned with president Hamid Karzai`s government. Fayaz said the attack was a warning to Afghans to stop working with the government.
Bureau Report
"I looked over and saw this waistcoat and then the explosion occurred", he said yesterday, still trembling from the shock of the explosion. "I am sure it was hidden beneath it." Fayaz blamed the former ruling Taliban and their al-Qaida allies. About two months ago, Fayaz issued a fatwa or religious edict condemning the Taliban`s interpretation of Islam. He believes that is why his mosque and religious school, or madrassa, was attacked. "In his fatwa, Mullah Fayaz said the Taliban were not following Islam and that their interpretation of Islam was wrong", Kandahar police chief Mohammed Akram said. "This is the important thing and the reason they probably attacked Mullah Fayaz`s mosque".
Akram said he had offered Fayaz additional protection, but he refused saying his security was sufficient.
Fayaz said he had just completed the last of the five prayers devout Muslims say each day when the bomb exploded.
Fayaz is head of Kandahar`s religious council, which is aligned with president Hamid Karzai`s government. Fayaz said the attack was a warning to Afghans to stop working with the government.
Bureau Report