Ansar al-Islam statement claims responsibility for al-Seistani representative

A statement by Ansar al-Islam group in Iraq alleged in a statement on the Internet it had assassinated Mamhoud al-Madaeini the representative of Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani, while the Muslim Scholars Commission condemned the incident and described it as a criminal act.

A statement bearing the signature of Ansar al-Islam group, the unknown Abi Saad Waqqas squad, described al-Madeini as "one of the main supporters for the elections" and also threatened that his assassination will not be the last by this group.

The statement, threatened what it called "traitors and hirelings, who sold the honor and the conscience, preferred life on earth and sought to support the Jews and Christians against their Muslim brothers." The statement also warned against taking part in the elections set on January 30th.

The Muslim Scholars Commission, which is considered the major Sunni leadership in Iraq, strongly condemned on Friday the assassination of al-Madeini. It said that the "executors of this criminal act wanted to make use of the critical condition the homeland is passing under occupation in order to make worse the relation between religious groups."