Najaf Friday imam urges continued pursuit of Speicher massacre suspects

NAJAF, Iraq — The Friday imam of Najaf, Sadr al-Din Kubaysi, called in his June 5, 2026 sermon for the legal pursuit of those responsible for the 2014 Speicher massacre to be continued until the perpetrators are brought to justice. Speaking on the anniversary of the fall and liberation of Mosul, Kubaysi noted that death sentences against 72 people have been carried out, while a significant number of suspects remain at large and investigations are still ongoing. Kubaysi used the sermon to emphasize the concept of Islamic brotherhood and deliver a message of unity. He also pointed to violations in some war zones and criticized the international community's silence on them. The imam addressed Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's upcoming visit to the United States, urging that it be used to recover Iraq's oil revenues and frozen funds held at the U.S. Federal Reserve. He also welcomed the start of the World Cup finals and Iraq's national team participation.