Tens of thousands of Shia pilgrims converge on saintly shrine

Tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims converged on a golden-domed shrine in northern Baghdad, some beating their heads and chests with their hands and others dancing in a circle to honour an eighth century saint.

The procession took place under tight security with guards checking each pilgrim as they reached the green iron gates of the Imam Moussa al-Kadhim mosque and a city-wide driving ban in effect until early Saturday to prevent suicide car bombings.