U.S. official describes rites; Islamic clerics debate if procedure was proper or humiliating

[The Straight Story]

U.S. official describes rites; Islamic clerics debate if procedure was proper or humiliating

CAIRO — Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was buried at sea from the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the north Arabian Sea after being washed according to Islamic custom during a religious funeral, a U.S. defense official said on Monday.

"Preparations for at-sea burial began at 1:10 a.m. EST and were completed at 2 a.m. EST," the official said. "Traditional procedures for Islamic burial were followed."

The deceased's body was washed and then placed in a white sheet.
The body was placed in a weighted bag.
A military officer read prepared religious remarks which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker.
After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, whereupon the deceased's body eased into the sea from the USS Vinson.

The rites sparked a debate about Islamic customs, with some Muslim clerics calling the procedure humiliating and others saying it was proper.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42859914

[cliffordu]

1. You mean the part about wrapping him in bacon???

[eleny]

5. snort

[SoCalDem]

6. Osama bin Rumaki n/t

[elleng]

2. Sounds like rabbis to me! All in the family!

'some Muslim clerics calling the procedure humiliating and others saying it was proper.'

[seabeyond]

3. ya ya ya ya ya. of course there is a problem with it. done. move on. nt

[Lars39]

4. That we even tried to follow traditional procedures for an Islamic burial

means we were trying to ameliorate reactions to his death. Lessen the blow back if at all possible.

[damntexdem]

7. I don't give a fuck.

They should have kept the body frozen for future use to debunk conspiracy theories.