Iraq Sunnis, Shiites fight over religious sites

The association of Muslim scholars in Iraq has strongly condemned what it describes as a "new suspicious step" taken by the Shiite endowments circle on Sunday to transfer the ownership of a number of religious sites in Al-Taamim governorate in their name. The association said in a statement issued by the department of culture and information on Wednesday: "This was aimed to create discord among Iraqis and exploit attempts to ward off strife and uphold the unity of this country." The statement said the vice president of the Shiite endowments on Sunday stormed the real estate department of Al-Taamim along with a military contingent. The body said the storming was not the first of its kind but had been preceded by similar actions to confiscate a number of mosques throughout Iraq. The body concluded saying: "They (the Shiite board) will only gain disappointment and doom from these actions because endowments are legitimately established rights and breaking them is a breach of Islamic Sharia. These rights will be restored to all people, sooner or later, in order to preserve Iraq's unity and security."