- At least 14 youths in Baghdad have been stoned to death in the past three weeks in what seems to be a campaign by Shiite militants against youngsters wearing Western-style "emo" clothes and haircuts, reports Reuters.

Militants in Shiite neighborhoods, where the stonings have taken place, circulated lists yesterday with the names of more youths targeted to be killed if they do not change the way they dress.

Youths wearing traditional emo (emotional) attire, such as tight jeans, T-shirts with logos and long or spiky black haircuts are being hunted down.

According to Reuters, the murders started when Iraq's interior ministry highlighted the emo subculture last month. The ministry labelled it "Satanism" and ordered police to put a stop to it.

Some 14 bodies of youths have been taken to three hospitals in eastern Baghdad with signs of having been beaten to death with rocks or bricks, anonymous security and hospital sources told Reuters.

Nine bodies were brought to hospitals in Sadr City, a poor Shiite neighborhood, three were taken to East Baghdad's al-Kindi hospital, while two were brought to the central morgue, medical sources told Reuters.

"Last week I signed the death certificates of three of those young people, and the reason for death I wrote in my own hand was severe skull fractures," a doctor at al-Kindi hospital told Reuters.

"A very powerful blow to the head caused these fractures which totally smashed the skull of the victim," added the doctor.

Six other young people, including two girls, were wounded in beatings intended as warnings, security sources told Reuters.

Reuters discovered a leaflet distributed in the Shiite Bayaa district of east Baghdad yesterday with the names of 24 youths targeted for killing.

"We strongly warn you, to all the obscene males and females, if you will not leave this filthy work within four days the punishment of God will descend upon you at the hand of the Mujahideen," the leaflet said.

Another leaflet with 20 names in Sadr City read: "We are the Brigades of Anger. We warn you, if you do not get back to sanity and the right path, you will be killed."

Last month's statement from the interior ministry said it was monitoring "the 'emo' phenomenon, or Satanism", which is said was spreading through schools, particularly among teenage girls.

"They wear tight clothes that bear paintings of skulls, they use school implements with skulls and wear rings in their noses and tongues as well as other weird appearances," the statement said.

A new statement issued by the interior ministry on Thursday said: "Many media have reported fabricated news reports about the so-called 'emo' phenomenon - stories about tens of young people killed in various ways, including stoning.

"No murder case has been recorded with the interior ministry on so-called 'emo' grounds. All cases of murder recorded were for revenge, social and common criminal reasons."

What is "emo"?

"Emo" derives from the word "emotional".

Its followers, usually teenagers, wear slim-fit jeans, sometimes in bright colors, and tight, short-sleeved T-shirts which often bear the names of emo bands. Studded belts and black wristbands are common accessories in emo fashion.

The emo fashion is also recognized for its hairstyles. Popular looks include long side-swept fringes, sometimes covering one or both eyes. Also popular is hair that is straightened and dyed black. Short, choppy layers of hair are common.

Music groups popular among emo followers include My Chemical Romance, Rites of Spring, Embrace, Jawbreaker, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional.

Emo has been associated with a stereotype that includes being particularly emotional, sensitive, shy, introverted, or angst-ridden. It has also been associated with depression, self-harm, and suicide. But fans have been known to deny claims that emo promotes self-harm and suicide.




AKnews