Iraq's intelligence officials: Foiled Islamic State plan to attack Shia shrines in Karbala, Najaf

Baghdad: Iraqi intelligence officials say they have foiled an attempt by the Islamic State group to attack revered Shia shrines and the sect’s spiritual leader. [caption id=“attachment_3133554” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Two officers spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. They said the Islamic State plan was to launch a series of suicide attacks in Karbala and Najaf that house the shrines as well as the home of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The officers added that simultaneous airstrikes by Iraq and Russian two weeks ago hit gatherings of suicide bombers in the Iraqi town of Qaim and in Syria’s Maydeen area. Both towns are under Islamic State’s control. They gave no details on casualties.