"It is forbidden to take the initiative and punish those who played a direct role in the murder of innocents because punishment is the resort of the victim's family after confirmation of the crime by religious court," Ayatollah Ali Sistani said in his fatwa published by Al-Zaman.

In the fatwa released from his stronghold in the holy city of Najaf, Sistani also forbade the killing of "those who wrote reports against believers, leading to their execution" as well as those agents "who had been forced to collaborate with the former secret service under threat and pressure."

The ayatollah also called for the art looted from the national museum after the fall of Saddam's regime on April 9 to be returned, saying its "sale and acquisition" were forbidden.

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