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  Bombers kill 74 at two mosques in Iraq   (AP)  Updated: 2005-11-19 01:04  Also Friday, the top U.N. human rights official called for an international 
investigation into the conditions of detainees in Iraq following the alleged 
abuse of those found at the Interior Ministry building. 
 
 
 
 
   An Iraqi soldier calls for help as his 
 colleagues inspect the site where two car bombs exploded near a Baghdad 
 hotel. At least 67 worshippers were killed in suicide attacks on two 
 Shiite mosques in eastern Iraq near the border with Iran, hours after 
 suicide bombers killed six people outside a Baghdad hotel. 
 [AFP] |   
"In light of the apparently systemic nature and magnitude of that problem, 
and the importance of public confidence in any inquiry, I urge authorities to 
consider calling for an international inquiry," said Louise Arbour, the U.N. 
High Commissioner for Human Rights. 
 Prominent Sunni Arabs have complained for months about abuse by Interior 
Ministry forces, whom they claim have been infiltrated by Shiite militias. The 
Sunnis called for an international investigation after the Jadriyah detainees 
were found. 
 The government denies the militia allegations. 
 "I reject torture and I will punish those who perform torture," said Interior 
Minister Bayn Jabr, a Shiite. "No one was beheaded, no one was killed." 
 He also said "those who are supporting terrorism are making the 
exaggerations" about torture and that only seven detainees showed signs of 
abuse. 
 The U.S. Embassy said Thursday that Iraqi authorities had given assurances 
that they will investigate the conditions of detainees found Sunday night and 
that the abuse of prisoners "will not be tolerated by either the Iraqi 
government" or U.S.-led forces anywhere in the country. 
 
 U.S. officials have refused to say how many detainees showed signs of torture 
and whether most were Sunnis, pending completion of an Iraqi investigation. 
 In another setback for sectarian reconciliation, the leader of Iraq's largest 
Shiite political party will not attend an Arab League meeting this weekend in 
Egypt, his spokesman said Friday. The 22-member Arab League has invited some 100 
prominent Iraqis for the preliminary meeting ahead of a planned reconciliation 
conference, probably to be held early next year in Iraq. 
 The head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, 
Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, will not attend, his party said. Instead, the delegation 
will be headed by Sheik Humam Hammoudi, said the group's spokesman, Haitham 
al-Husseini. 
 
   
  
  
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