Sunni Bombs and Guards Greet Iraq Vote

[ECH1969]

Iraq's Sunni Arab minority made a violent reentry into politics Friday, bombing offices of a political party that urged support for a new U.S.-backed constitution

While the attacks were going on, branches of the party in the west announced they were splitting with the headquarters in Baghdad. In Fallujah, crowds gathered around an Iraqi Islamic Party office set ablaze by guerrillas from Abu Musab Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq movement, chanting "No!" to the constitution.

Al Qaeda in Iraq, led by Zarqawi, a Jordanian, and infused with foreign fighters, distributed leaflets in the west pledging punishment for all who voted Saturday. "We have warned; we shall not be blamed," one leaflet read.

Three of the seven polling sites, all located at elementary schools, had been bombed Wednesday night, hours before Iraqi police were to move into the schools to provide round-the-clock security for the referendum. U.S. officers believed the bombers were tipped off by members of the Iraqi security forces.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101402231_2.html

[Carolab]

1. Here we go. n/t