Sisters Behead Uncle for wearing Western trousers*

By Richard Holt
Last Updated: 7:37pm GMT 23/11/2007

Two sisters beheaded their own uncle and his wife in front of the
couple's children because the man wore Western-style trousers, according
to Iraqi police.

The suspected al-Qa'eda militants told investigators that Youssef
al-Hayali was an infidel because he did not pray and wear appropriate
clothing.

He was executed along with his wife Zeinab Kamel at the school in Diyala
province northwest of Baghdad where Mr Hayali worked as a security guard.

Some Sunni Arab communities across Iraq have been turning against
al-Qa'eda fighters because of its indiscriminate killings.

Sunni Arab tribal sheikhs have been organising their young men into
neighbourhood police units to drive out the militants.

US and Iraqi officials say has helped bring down violence levels across
Iraq.

Security operations by US and Iraqi troops have also been targeting
al-Qa'eda in ethnically and religiously mixed Diyala in recent months
after Sunni Islamist fighters were driven out of western Anbar province.

The US military said earlier this month that it was sending 3,000
soldiers home from the province but added that the overall number of
forces in the province would not decrease.