Shia Ringtone Starts Fight in Iraqi Parliament

A ringtone started a fight at the Iraqi Parliament last week. A phone belonging to Ms al-Saidi, but being held by one of her bodyguards rang out with a Shia prayer - presumably a RealTone as opposed to a polyphonic tune. At this, the Sunni speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani sent security guards over to ask that the phone be switched off in the Parliament building.

However, the phone rang again, and the guards started fighting, with Ms al-Saidi herself then joining in. A procedural session of the Iraqi parliament was then suspended as MPs walked out in protest.

Following the fight, Ms al-Saidi spoke to the press and demanded an investigation in whether private bodyguards used by MPs should be armed while inside the Parliament building. The Parliamentary session was restored about 20 minutes later.

At least it wasn't the Crazy Frog ringtone though."

Posted to the site on 16th May 2006