Sunnis Vow to Strike Back After Death of Tribal Leader

The killing of a prominent Iraqi tribal leader and US ally will be avenged, angry Sunnis promised today, a day after the sheik died in a bomb attack. Thousands of Iraqis joined the funeral procession for Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, shouting, “Revenge, revenge on al-Qaeda.” The assassination of the influential sheik has roiled Anbar province, the Times of London reports.

Tributes poured in, with political figures from President Bush to Muqtada al-Sadr praising the sheik’s efforts to curb violence by suppressing al-Qaeda. Abu Risha “proved that terrorism can be fought and security can be restored,” al-Sadr’s spokesman said. But an Islamist website rejoiced at the killing, calling the sheik “one of the biggest pigs of the Christian crusade.” (More Abdul Sittar Bezea al Rishawi stories.)