Protests Against Disarming Militias In

Protests against Disarming the Militias in Najaf

The Marines in the holy city of Najaf had already announced that armed militiamen would be prohibited in the city after Saturday. But they suddenly announced on Wednesday that even now, gunmen in the streets would have to have official permission to carry a weapon. Muhammad Husayn al-Hakim, son of Sa`id al-Hakim, gave an impassioned statement in which he protested the restrictions. He said that if the US cannot protect the peopel of Najaf, they should be able to do so themselves. The city is still reeling from the huge truck bombing of Aug. 31. (AFP via al-Zaman)