Lucky girls

To help poor Iraqis avoid the high cost of marriage a local charity in Baghdad sponsored a mass Shia wedding. The charity? Martyrs’ Association for Humanitarian Services. Top quote?

The former unjust regime tried to break apart society and the family by killing the men, scattering the boys and allowing women to leave the house.

Hussein al-Shami, MAHS leader

For shame! Good thing they’ve married nice devout lads, they shall never have need to leave the house again. You got that didn’t you boys? We just gave you $600, you’re devout now. Don’t make our martyrs pay you a visit, it’s not pretty. Also, “security around the mosque was tight … for fear of suicide attackers”. Perhaps the charity was a little worried some of their own members might turn up.