Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 9, 2007

Shi'ite Pilgrims Converge on Baghdad Shrine Under Tight Security
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=187DFE3:A6F02AD83191E1609AC326992DE63DAC9574F7DCC14957C0 Security forces
deploying additional police, banning cars from streets until Saturday





Iraqi boy looks on as US troops patrol streets of Khazimiyah
neighborhood of north Baghdad, 09 Aug 2007

Tens of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims are converging on a shrine in
Baghdad for a religious event under tight security.

Authorities deployed additional police and banned cars from the city
streets until Saturday to prevent suicide bombings during the
ceremony, which commemorates the death of Imam Moussa Kadhim, one of
12 major Shi'ite imams.

The Imam, who died 12 centuries ago, is buried in a tomb in Baghdad's
Kazimiyah district.

Iraq's sectarian fighters frequently attack religious processions.

In other news, the U.S. military says coalition forces killed three
terrorists and detained 21 suspects in operations in the Tigris River
valley.

A military statement said the raids carried out Wednesday and early
Thursday were aimed at al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist cells in areas near
Balad, Tikrit and Mosul.

Separately, the military said a U.S. Marine died Tuesday in a
non-combat related incident in al-Anbar province, west of Baghdad.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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