- Ahmed Hassani al-Yemeni
Ahmed Hassani al-Yemeni or Ahmed bin al-Hassan al-Basri is an
Iraq iShia cult leader who lived nearNajaf ,Iraq . He claimed to be the messenger of theHidden Imam ; his followers were Sunnis and Shites that included women and children joined 600-700 of his "Soldiers of Heaven " believed he was the unity of inspiration from Muhammad.Iraq i officials claim Ahmed al-Hassan was involved in the bloody battle with the government forces. They said the group calledSoldiers of Heaven planned to attack theImam Ali shrine at the heart of the city during the annualAshura holy period and kill the Shiite religious leaders, and thus hasten the coming of theMahdi .Iraqi security officials said that a man calling himself Ali bin Ali bin Abi Talib and styling himself the Mahdi, had been killed in the fighting but that the whereabouts of his "messenger" Ahmed al-Hassan was not known. Little is known about Hassan, who is believed to be from the southern city of
Diwaniyah and reportedly who has told his followers he is in touch with the Hidden Imam. Some clerics said he founded his movement about eight years ago and has several thousands followers in southern Iraq. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_what_happened]Followers of Hassan in the southern city of
Basra accused Iraqi authorities of falsely implicating them in the fighting and said their leader had no involvement; Iraqi security forces shut down their office in Najaf previous week. [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=COL047091&WTmodLoc=World-R5-Alertnet-3] A Shi'ite cleric who has had contact with the group said he believed that al-Basri was alive and likely to be hiding nearKarbala . [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/30/news/army.php?page=2]Quotes
"I am the Mahdi and I want you to join me, today was supposed to be the day of his coming." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070129/wl_nm/iraq_dc]
ee also
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Dia Abdul-Zahra External links
* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003545907_najaf29.html Joint forces kill 200 fighters at Iraq holy city]
* [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21140521-401,00.html 'Mahdi' cult leader killed in Najaf battle]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1835843.htm Hundreds of militants, 'messiah' leader killed: Iraq Govt]
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070129.IRAQ29/TPStory/TPInternational/America/ U.S., Iraqi soldiers battle cult in Najaf]
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0130/p01s01-woiq.html Battle suggests new sectarian divides in Iraq]
* [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4507905.html Iraqis: At least 200 insurgents killed]
* [http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,9294,2-10-1460_2061504,00.html Iraqi cult leader killed]
* [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/29/18353776.php Fighters for Shiite Messiah Clash with Najaf Security,250 Dead: Over 60 Dead in Baghdad, Kirkuk Violence]
* [http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/special_packages/iraq/16568097.htm U.S. helicopter shot down near Najaf]
* [http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/186324.php Iraqis kill 200 Shiite Terrorists]
* [http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?selected=Situation%20Reports&sitrep=1&id=283560 Iraq: Militant Leader Among Dead]
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