Iraqi militias take Islamic law into their own hands [March 24, 2005] The Australian:

The Australian: Iraqi militias take Islamic law into their own hands [March 24, 2005]:

"THE students had begun to lay out their picnic in the spring sunshine when the men attacked.

'There were dozens of them, armed with guns, and they poured into the park,' said Ali al-Azawi, 21, the engineering student who had organised the gathering in Basra.

'They started shouting at us that we were immoral, that we were meeting boys and girls together and playing music, and that this was against Islam.

'They began shooting in the air and people screamed. Then, with one order, they began beating us with their sticks and rifle butts.'

Two students are said to have been killed.
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Students say there was nothing spontaneous about the attack on the picnickers. Police were guarding the picnic in the park, as is customary at any large public gathering, but allowed the armed men in without any resistance.