According to historical accounts, Imam Hussein was killed in a battle near Karbala, where he was overwhelmingly outnumbered by Yazeed's army.

CNN: Pilgrims flood Karbala on final holy day

Yazeed was competing with him to head the Islamic religion.

CNN: Pilgrims flood Karbala on final holy day

The self-proclaimed leader of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed, praises "courageous knights" who have answered the call "for the sake of God to kick out the occupier who has desecrated the pure soil of Afghanistan".

BBC: NEWS | Middle East | Bin Laden message in website film