The Samarra Shrine And Shia Mischief

"By now, everyone who is familiar with the situation in Iraq, whatever Media they retrieve their information from, is aware of the Bombing of the Shrine of Imam Hasan al-Askari , which like an exfoliated onion, saw layers of its golden dome peeled off in great chunks by an explosion or two.

The Shrine is one of the most sacred Shia landmarks, and as noted by Ian Wood commenting at the Belmont Club, was the final resting place for the 11th Imam (Hasan al-Askari) (who) was the father of the 12th Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi...the same al-Mahdi whose whose Return Iranian President Ahmadinejad apparently thinks will be hastened by his acquisition of nuclear weapons.

He goes on to further tell us:
The al-Askari mosque also houses a slightly smaller, more elaborately decorated domed shrine called Maqam Ghaybat, which was supposedly built over the cellar into which the Imam Mahdi disappeared before his occultation (hence his attribution, the "Hidden" Imam) in 873. As far as I can tell from photos, that dome is intact.

As one would expect, the reaction to the Shrine's attack has been fast and furious among the Iraqi and other Bloggers. So much information and opinions pouring forth, that it is almost impossible to keep up with events on the ground in Iraq.

Zeyad has provided the best and most intense-laden coverage of the aftermath, including details of his own neighborhood being threatened by the mysterious "Men In Black", likely members of Mahdi's Army, Muqti al-Sadr's gang of thugs, louses and ruffians:"
IBC

Go here to get all the news in one easy to read post.