The “Association of Muslim Scholars” calls the occupation to stop such practices.

The American occupation forces resorted to the arrest of Iraqi women to force their husbands and brothers to surrender to the occupation, which is a weapon that no one could imagine that the American occupation forces, with all it possesses of huge military abilities, would resort to. But it actually did resort to it after the war machine failed in confronting the resistance.

On its behalf, the Association of Muslim Scholars, the highest Sunni authority in Iraq has condemned the continuation of the occupation forces’ arrest of Iraqi women. It called for ending such practices and refraining from raids and arrests, especially of women.

Yesterday, in its statement, the association said, “Last Wednesday, the occupation forces, together with National Guard have committed a fatal crime, underestimating the Islamic feelings and the Arab morals of the unarmed Iraqi citizens”. It added, “These forces raided the house of Sheikh Mohamed Saleh Al Zakam, in Al Taji region, north of Baghdad, at 1.30 am, upon malicious rumors by some biased persons, with the claim of searching some wanted persons. They arrested him and all in the house of men and women, who were 14 persons.”

The association clarified, “The arrested were 7 women, his wife, four daughters and his two daughters in law, in addition to five of his sons and a guest.” “The association condemns such criminal acts and calls the occupation forces and the Iraqi government to release the members of the family and all the detained and considers them responsible for the safety and security of the detained, “ it pointed out.

“Meanwhile, the association requests to stop such practices and refraining from raids and arrests, especially of women, “ it added.

In a separate statement, the association said, “In the city of Al Ramadi, the American occupation forces arrested the wife of a wanted person, to force him to surrender. Last Thursday, the residents of Al Ramadi went on a demonstration that spread all over the city protesting the arrest of the wife of a wanted person by the American forces, so as to force him to surrender.” The statement added, “Atmospheres of tension has prevailed the city and rage against the occupation forces has filled up all the residents due to such criminal acts and not respecting the feelings of Iraqis,” the statement added.

The association said, “Afterwards, the American forces, after making sure of the seriousness of the demonstration and the insistence of demonstrators to achieve their demands, they released the woman.”