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It was a singular, defining act of barbarism, beamed out live for the world to see. In March 2001, Taliban fighters and grandees clustered around the famed giant statues of the Buddha in Afghanistans Bamiyan province, laid explosives at their feet and blew them up. The extremists shadowy leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, lauded the destruction of the two towering 6th century monuments: Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them.
Similar language and zeal was on air Monday when news emerged of an Islamist faction in Mali desecrating a number of tombs in the ancient city of Timbuktu, which in recent months fell under control of a separatist insurgency. The destruction is a divine order, said a spokesman from Ansar Dine, a radical outfit with alleged links to al-Qaeda. According to reports, the militants have set about tearing down centuries-old mausoleums of Muslim holy men in Timbuktu, a Saharan crossroads known in lore as the city of 333 saints and long a fabled destination for backpacking tourists. UNESCO, the U.N.s cultural agency, says as many as half of the citys shrines have been destroyed in a display of fanaticism.
In the puritanical strain of Islam adhered to by Ansar Dine (and the Taliban), veneration of Sufi saints counts as idolatry, a heretical practice that cannot be tolerated. Militants bearing guns, pickaxes and shovels reduced to rubble the tomb of Sidi Mahmoud, who died in 955 A.D. They have also knocked down tombs of two other prominent medieval saints, Sidi Moctar and Alpha Moya. One Ansar Dine spokesman told the BBC that they plan to destroy every single Sufi shrine in the city, without exception.
International outrage has been swift. UNESCO, which designates some of Timbuktus mosques and tombs as World Heritage sites, has desperately urged an end to the campaign of destruction. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deemed the acts totally unjustified. The International Criminal Courts new chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, suggested they should be considered a war crime.
An disgusting display of ignorance and a crime against history.
An disgusting display of ignorance and a crime against history.
An disgusting display of ignorance and a crime against history.
Crime against history ? Really ? What other kind of crimes are we going to come up with ?
An disgusting display of ignorance and a crime against history.
You just can't help talking about yourself, can you?
Yeah, blame UNESCO
Yeah, blame UNESCO
Nobody is blaming UNESCO, though they are a pretty lame and useless organization.
Timbuktu’s Destruction: Why Islamists Are Wrecking Mali’s Cultural Heritage
It was a singular, defining act of barbarism, beamed out live for the world to see. In March 2001, Taliban fighters and grandees clustered around the famed giant statues of the Buddha in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan province, laid explosives at their feet and blew them up. The extremists’ shadowy leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, lauded the destruction of the two towering 6th century monuments: “Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them.”
Similar language and zeal was on air Monday when news emerged of an Islamist faction in Mali desecrating a number of tombs in the ancient city of Timbuktu, which in recent months fell under control of a separatist insurgency. “The destruction is a divine order,” said a spokesman from Ansar Dine, a radical outfit with alleged links to al-Qaeda. According to reports, the militants have set about tearing down centuries-old mausoleums of Muslim holy men in Timbuktu, a Saharan crossroads known in lore as “the city of 333 saints” and long a fabled destination for backpacking tourists. UNESCO, the U.N.’s cultural agency, says as many as half of the city’s shrines “have been destroyed in a display of fanaticism.”
In the puritanical strain of Islam adhered to by Ansar Dine (and the Taliban), veneration of Sufi saints counts as idolatry, a heretical practice that cannot be tolerated. Militants bearing guns, pickaxes and shovels reduced to rubble the tomb of Sidi Mahmoud, who died in 955 A.D. They have also knocked down tombs of two other prominent medieval saints, Sidi Moctar and Alpha Moya. One Ansar Dine spokesman told the BBC that they plan to destroy every single Sufi shrine in the city, “without exception.”
International outrage has been swift. UNESCO, which designates some of Timbuktu’s mosques and tombs as World Heritage sites, has desperately urged an end to the campaign of destruction. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deemed the acts “totally unjustified.” The International Criminal Court’s new chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, suggested they should be considered a war crime.
Read more: Mali: Why Islamists Are Destroying Timbuktu's Holy Shrines | World | TIME.com
Yeah, blame UNESCO
Nobody is blaming UNESCO, though they are a pretty lame and useless organization.
I can't wait to see footage of UNESCO capturing them, and that prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should be fired on the spot for further pouring ridicule on the concept of international law. -
Timbuktus Destruction: Why Islamists Are Wrecking Malis Cultural Heritage
It was a singular, defining act of barbarism, beamed out live for the world to see. In March 2001, Taliban fighters and grandees clustered around the famed giant statues of the Buddha in Afghanistans Bamiyan province, laid explosives at their feet and blew them up. The extremists shadowy leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, lauded the destruction of the two towering 6th century monuments: Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them.
Similar language and zeal was on air Monday when news emerged of an Islamist faction in Mali desecrating a number of tombs in the ancient city of Timbuktu, which in recent months fell under control of a separatist insurgency. The destruction is a divine order, said a spokesman from Ansar Dine, a radical outfit with alleged links to al-Qaeda. According to reports, the militants have set about tearing down centuries-old mausoleums of Muslim holy men in Timbuktu, a Saharan crossroads known in lore as the city of 333 saints and long a fabled destination for backpacking tourists. UNESCO, the U.N.s cultural agency, says as many as half of the citys shrines have been destroyed in a display of fanaticism.
In the puritanical strain of Islam adhered to by Ansar Dine (and the Taliban), veneration of Sufi saints counts as idolatry, a heretical practice that cannot be tolerated. Militants bearing guns, pickaxes and shovels reduced to rubble the tomb of Sidi Mahmoud, who died in 955 A.D. They have also knocked down tombs of two other prominent medieval saints, Sidi Moctar and Alpha Moya. One Ansar Dine spokesman told the BBC that they plan to destroy every single Sufi shrine in the city, without exception.
International outrage has been swift. UNESCO, which designates some of Timbuktus mosques and tombs as World Heritage sites, has desperately urged an end to the campaign of destruction. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deemed the acts totally unjustified. The International Criminal Courts new chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, suggested they should be considered a war crime.
Read more: Mali: Why Islamists Are Destroying Timbuktu's Holy Shrines | World | TIME.com
There are Christian (and other) sects in this country who would do the same if given the opportunity. When their god speaks, the truly devout follow -- without hesitation.
true? Look to the story of Abraham who we are told with admiration and awe, willing to slaughter his own son for what was believed to be the voice of god. how sick can a person be?
Nobody is blaming UNESCO, though they are a pretty lame and useless organization.
I can't wait to see footage of UNESCO capturing them, and that prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should be fired on the spot for further pouring ridicule on the concept of international law. -
So you think that a prosecutor of an international Court who suddenly starts inventing new war crimes on the spot isn't ridiculous and outrageously incompetent?
Fortunately UNESCO keeps itself occupied with its main "good work": fomenting anti-Israeli hatred.
I can't wait to see footage of UNESCO capturing them, and that prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should be fired on the spot for further pouring ridicule on the concept of international law. -
So you think that a prosecutor of an international Court who suddenly starts inventing new war crimes on the spot isn't ridiculous and outrageously incompetent?
reading and comprehension 101: "The International Criminal Courts new chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, suggested they should be considered a war crime."
Fortunately UNESCO keeps itself occupied with its main "good work": fomenting anti-Israeli hatred.
Israel?
get a life. Israel has nothing to do with this. Your hatred has you acting irrational,.
Yes you proved my point. That prosecutor is a dangerous idiot who thinks that what is a war crime should be adapted according to cuurent PC fashion.
again? 
