"The offender attack of the holy shrines, mosques and religious institutions is an act aimed at raising sedition in Iraq andtearing up its national unity," SANA quoted an official source assaying.

   "Syria, while assuring its pain for the criminal incidents andits condemnation, calls upon the sisterly Iraqi people to keep unity during this critical condition," the source said.

   Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader Moqtada al-Sadr, meanwhile, calledon the Iraqi people to maintain solidarity in order to foilattempts to inflame sedition.

   "We urge the Iraqis to be up to the level of responsibility ...to keep Iraq's unity and safety," Sadr told a press conference inDamascus on his way back to Iraq after a visit to Lebanon.   Sadr also urged a full withdrawal of the occupation forces fromIraq under a fixed time table.

   Earlier Wednesday, the holy Shiite mosque of Ali al-Hadi inSamarra, which contains tombs of the 10th and 11th of the Shiite'stwelve most revered Imams, was hit by a powerful bomb blast withits golden dome badly damaged.

   Tens of thousands of Shiites took to the streets in Iraqicities including Baghdad, Samarra, Najaf and Karbala in protestagainst the attack.

   In retaliation, eight Sunni mosques in Baghdad came underattack, further escalating the sectarian tension.  Enditem