Arab League concerned over escalation of violence in Iraq; ethnic tension

The secretary general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, expressed concern over the escalated assassination operations of the Sunni men of religion in Iraq. In a statement issued by his spokesman, Moussa called on the Iraqis for self control in order to avoid sedition among the sects of the Iraqi society.

Moussa underlined the importance of the "Iraqi national alliance" because "it is the real guarantee for the unity of Iraq's people and land, away from acts aiming at disseminating partition among the Iraqi people."

Moussa's statement came after the accusation made by the Muslim Scholars Commission in Iraq, to the Bader organization, the military wing of the Higher Council For The Islamic Revolution In Iraq supported by Iran, of killing 14 Iraqis from the Sunni including three mosques Imams to the west of Iraq. The council is part if the united Iraqi alliance which won 146 seats of the parliament's 275 seats.

The Shiite minister of the interior, Baqer Soulagh, and the Sunni defense minister Sadee al-Duleimi denied the statement which came three days after founding the bodies of 46 persons at least in various parts of the country presumed to be killed in acts of revenge.