(5 Jan 2009)
1. Main entrance leading to the holy city of Karbala, as soldiers manning checkpoint
2. Sign reading: (Arabic): ''Welcome to Karbala''
3. Iraqi policemen searching cars at checking point
4. Wide of military checkpoint
5. Mid of police searching cars
6. Close up of policeman searching trunk of car
7. Policeman searching people
8. Troops at checkpoint
9. Various of police searching people
10. Pilgrims flagellating themselves with chains as others beating drums
11. Various of pilgrims flagellating themselves with chains
12. Wide of pilgrims flagellating themselves with chain
STORYLINE:
Iraqi security forces have deployed thousands of troops in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, to safeguard against attacks as Shiite Muslims begin ceremonies to mark the
anniversary of the death of one of Shiite Islam's most revered saints.
Attacks by al-Qaida in Iraq, Sunni insurgents and even a Shiite cult have killed hundreds of people in recent years.
Shiites have flocked to the holy City of Karbala to mourn the 7th century death of Imam Hussein and his half brother Abass who were slain during a 680 A.D. battle in the city.
Dozens of Shiite pilgrims were seen flagellating themselves with chains near the holy shrines of Imam Hussein and his half brother Abass.
Meanwhile, Iraqi government announced new measures to protect worshippers ahead of the major religious festival of Ashoura, the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic lunar calendar which coincides next Wednesday, 7th January.
The step-up in security comes after a female suicide bomber blew herself up on Sunday among a crowd of pilgrims outside a revered Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 65, the Iraqi army said.
The first 10 days of Muharram are often marked by pilgrimages to holy sites around Iraq culminating in the Shiite holy city of Karbala.
Karbala is 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Baghdad.
Every year since the 2003 collapse of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime, hundreds of thousands of Shiites have celebrated religious festivals, while Sunni extremists have often targeted them.
Imam Hussein was the grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad and was massacred along with about 70 followers by an army of Umayyads, their rivals for leadership of the Muslim community, during a 680 A.D. battle in Karbala.
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