Hundreds in Shiite procession in run-up to Ashoura

Описание: (24 Jan 2007)
1. Wide of Imam Hussein holy shrine, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, with pilgrims walking outside
2. Various of police car driving by with officers holding guns on top
3. Various of police officers with motorbikes
4. Army vehicle driving by
5. Policemen talking on radios
5. Various of security officials searching pilgrims at entrance to holy shrine
6. Various of armed security officials
7. Wide of religious procession
8. Musicians beating drums
9. Various of boys beating drums with men beating themselves with chain in background
10. Mid of young boys carrying out religious rites
11. Disabled man on mobile chair flagellating himself
12. Wide of religious procession
STORYLINE:
The Ashoura commemorations began in Iraq's Shiite holy city of Karbala on Tuesday, in remembrance of the seventh century death of the revered Shiite saint Imam Hussein, grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
Amid tight security, thousands of people took to the streets of the holy city of Karbala, 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Baghdad, on Tuesday, the first day of a week-long celebration.
People, including young children were dressed in black in a sign of mourning and marched between the two Imam Hussein holy shrines to the beat of deep bass drums.
Some slapped chains across their backs until their clothes were soaked with blood, in a show of grief to mark Hussein's death in battle.
Ashoura falls on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and is the holiest festival for Shiites, who comprise 60 percent of Iraq's 27 (m) million people.
It marks the anniversary in the Islamic lunar calendar of the death of Imam Hussein, who was killed in 680 A.D. during a battle in Karbala for leadership of the faith.
Hussein's death caused the split in Islam between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
The ceremonies come amid heightened sectarian tensions in Iraq between Shiite and Sunni Arabs and a campaign of violence carried out against respective members of each community.

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