Leader of Iraq's largest Shiite Muslim group speaks to supporters

(25 May 2003)
1. Various, chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Ayatollah Al Hakim's motorcade driving through crowd
2. Various, crowd outside Al Imam Al Hussein bin Ali Mosque
3. Al Hakim emerging from building and walking through crowd
4. Al Hakim walking onto platform
5. Al Hakim gesturing to crowd
6. Wide shot, crowd and platform
7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ayatollah Al Hakim, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq:
"We are not going to submit ourselves to any despotic power nor to any foreign or internal domination. We all should know that, the Iraqi people and the people of Karbala. Karbala is for all Iraqis, for all Muslims, and for all humanity."
8. Cutaway, crowd
9. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ayatollah Al Hakim, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq:
"The resolution of the United Nations Security Council issued yesterday (actually took place on Thursday) says that these forces are an occupying force. And the US and Britain, who presented the resolution, admitted that they were occupiers. So now the authority of Iraq has been turned over to occupiers. They claim it is a temporary occupation and that afterwards they will organise and hand over power to Iraqis, but right now it is still occupation."
10. Mid shot, crowd
11. Wide shot, crowd chanting
12. Various Al Hakim exiting

STORYLINE:

Between five-and-ten-thousand Shi'ites turned out in the Iraqi city of Karbala on Saturday to welcome the chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.

As Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim arrived in the city, southwest of Baghdad, his motorcade was mobbed by excited crowds.

Addressing muslims outside the Al Imam Al Hussein bin Ali Mosque, the cleric said Iraq would not submit itself to any despotic power - be it foreign or internal.

Focusing on Fridays Security Council Resolution on Iraq, which lifted 13 13-years of United Nations-imposed sanctions, he said it was an admission from the US and Britain that they were occupying Iraq.

The Iraqi Shi'ite dissident cleric was visiting the central Iraqi city for the first time since returning from Iraq after living in Iranian exile for 20 years.

His home base is Najaf, also southwest of Baghdad, the holiest city for Shi'ites.

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