Muslim Scholars hail deaths of U.S. troops

MOSUL, Iraq, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The influential Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq praised the actions of an Iraqi soldier who turned his weapon on American soldiers, killing at least two.

An Iraqi soldier on patrol with U.S. forces in the northern province of Ninawa opened fire on his American counterparts Wednesday following an altercation in Mosul. U.S. troops returned fire, killing the Iraqi.

The Sunni AMSI issued a statement on its Web site Thursday praising the "heroic" deed by the Iraqi soldier, which the group identified as Barzan Muhammad Abdullah.

AMSI said the American soldiers had violated the personal privacy of an Iraqi girl in public, prompting Abdullah to fire all of his ammunition at the U.S. troops.

Shariah, or Islamic law, places restrictions on the degree to which males and females may interact in public. The U.S. military has exercised caution when approaching women, leaving searches and other activity largely to female soldiers.