Leading Muslim Clerics in Iraq Condemn Bombing of Churches
Top Muslim clerics and political leaders unite behind Iraq's Christians, condemning coordinated bomb attacks on five churches as dangerous escalation of war and an assault on centuries of coexistence between country's Christians and Muslims; Christians make up less than 5 percent of nation's population; some Christians fear attacks are frightening signal of rise of fundamentalist Islam; say day might come when they are no longer welcome in Iraq; recent rise in attacks on retail businesses often owned by Christians and considered blasphemous by Islamists--liquor stores, beauty salons and shops selling Western music--has increased their worries; Iraqi officials lay blame for attacks on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, militant with ties to Al Qaeda; his group, Tawhid and Jihad, has not claimed responsibility for attacks, as has been its practice for others; group does release two videotapes, one showing what appears to be Turkish hostage shot to death and another announcing release of Somali truck driver whose employer agreed to halt operations in Iraq; photos (M)
