Arrest order for Iraq Shia cleric (SADR!)

[cut]

The US-led coalition in Iraq says an arrest warrant has been issued for radical cleric Moqtada Sadr.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39368000/jpg/_39368416_sadr_index.jpg

A coalition spokesman told a news conference in Baghdad that the warrant had been issued in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year.

The statement came on the second day of violent anti-coalition protests across Iraq by Mr Sadr's supporters.

US helicopter gunships targeted militia members loyal to Mr Sadr in the mainly Shia district of al-Shuala in Baghdad.

Coalition officials told a news conference in Baghdad that the arrest warrant had been drawn up by an Iraqi judge and would be executed "without advance warning".

Mr Sadr has denied any involvement in the killing of Abdel-Majid al-Khoei in Najaf in April last year.

The coalition accuses Mr Sadr of trying to usurp its power and says the revolt will not be tolerated.

US troops also began an offensive in Falluja, a Sunni town where four Americans were killed and mutilated.

The protests were triggered by the closure of Mr Sadr's main newspaper a week ago; they intensified after the arrest on Saturday of one of his top aides, Mustafa Yacoubi.


We have a group under Moqtada al-Sadr that has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials
US administrator Paul Bremer

Many of Iraq's majority Shia Muslims, repressed under Saddam Hussein, welcomed last year's US-led invasion, and attacks on coalition forces were largely confined to the minority Sunni community before Sunday's violence.

However, Mr Sadr has become an increasingly outspoken opponent of the occupation.

The US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, said on Monday that Mr Sadr's followers had effectively placed themselves outside the law.

Ambush

Apache gunships targeted militiamen of Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army on the streets of the capital's mainly Shia district of al-Shuala as a battle raged on the ground, correspondents report.

One US vehicle was reported to be in flames, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

At least nine coalition soldiers and 46 Iraqis have been killed in confrontations related to the protests.

Local resident Abbas Amid told the AFP news agency that fighting had flared after a US troop convoy tried to enter Shuala and came under heavy fire.

There was also tension in Sadr City, a district which saw eight US troops and a reported 22 Iraqis killed in Sunday's fighting.

American tanks were blocking approaches to the area and soldiers were carrying out vehicle searches as angry protesters gathered again.

In Basra, about 150 Mehdi Army members occupied the governor's office at dawn on Monday as part of the protests, but said they were staging a peaceful sit-in.

Brief exchanges of gunfire have been reported outside the office with soldiers from the city's UK garrison, but there is no indication of casualties.

Four Shia Iraqis were killed in clashes with UK forces in the south-eastern city of Amara on Sunday, while a protest which turned violent near the holy city of Najaf left a coalition soldier from El Salvador dead, along with about 20 Iraqis.



Coalition forces arrested Mustafa Yacoubi in connection with the murder last year of a rival cleric, Abdel-Majid al-Khoei, and closed down the Al-Hawza newspaper on the grounds that it was inciting violence.
Paul Bremer accused Mr Sadr of seeking to "establish his authority in the place of the legitimate authority".

"We have a group under Moqtada al-Sadr that has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials..." he said in Baghdad.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's leading Shia cleric, appealed for calm and negotiations on Sunday, as a call to "terrorise the enemy" circulated among Moqtada al-Sadr's followers.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/3601887.stm

Published: 2004/04/05 15:34:50 GMT

© BBC MMIV

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40006000/jpg/_40006093_dance-afp-203x300body.jpg
Police join the militants' protests in Basra

[One?]

is the coalition realy looking for a bloodbath?

[HELEX]

is the coalition realy looking for a bloodbath?

The answer is: Yes

[aeternum]

Another dumb move since the occupation.

[mustamato]

is the coalition realy looking for a bloodbath?

Exactly my thought, all this shiat happened because they arrested a deputy
to him as I´ve understood it. Will be much better if they arrest him :roll:

[scoone]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40006000/jpg/_40006093_dance-afp-203x300body.jpg

In some way I was expecting something like this, sooner or later the local cops are going to join the protets like the ones in Najaf ( spelling?) yeterday when all the cops flee from the police stations when the shooting begun. Perhaps they were scared or perhaps they joined the attackers.

[George W. Bush]

woot woot

Fundamentalist Islamists cannot be allowed to interfere with the lives of peaceful Iraqis and the building of a New Iraq.

[Dalleer]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39368000/jpg/_39368416_sadr_index.jpg

Busted! (Well, not yet...)

[Shake n Bake]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37883



What the other news accounts left out was one significant, but well-established fact: Al-Sadr works for Iran. He is an Iranian agent. His authority comes from Iran.

[Ghostwolf]

Oh boy, just hope they don't turn this into another "battle of Mogadishu".
Like some people say: if you can't beat him, kill him.

[HELEX]

What the other news accounts left out was one significant, but well-established fact: Al-Sadr works for Iran. He is an Iranian agent. His authority comes from Iran.

Nothing new... :roll:

[Fox2]

So the guy had a hand in killing an important cleric, a brutal murder in front of what is considered one of the most holy mosques in Iraq, and ya'll don't think he should be arrested? Amazing.

You all seem to forget that the ones who called for his arrest are IRAQIS. An Iraqi judge issued the warrant, and an Iraqi judge will try him!

[HELEX]

You all seem to forget that the ones who called for his arrest are IRAQIS. An Iraqi judge issued the warrant, and an Iraqi judge will try him!

You mean Iraqi Puppets?

[George W. Bush]

You all seem to forget that the ones who called for his arrest are IRAQIS. An Iraqi judge issued the warrant, and an Iraqi judge will try him!

You mean Iraqi Puppets?

No, puppies.

Cute fury puppies.

http://www.greywolf.malamutes.com/fullsize/ArtechTeddyPuppies/puppies.jpg

Have a puppy. And get laid also.

[One?]

They killed 2 protestors thats why the whole thing erupted.

One word from him will move millions of iraqis, and he has the support of the sunni muslims. And he wouldn't do any moves without the knowledge of the other shia clerics in Najaf and karbala. So hakim, sadr, and sistani all agree.

You just pissed off all iraqis!

[HELEX]

.....Bush administration is not known for beeing diplomatic, now they have a real Problem.....

[George W. Bush]

.....Bush administration is not known for beeing diplomatic, now they have a real Problem.....

******, ******, ******, dune coon, raghead, camel-jockey.

[cut]

I'm thinking that's a yes then..

[wholagun]

******, ******, ******, dune coon, raghead, camel-jockey.
http://www.TheForumz.com/images/icon_page/027.gif

:cantbeli:

[duck]

He is a lower-rank cleric, not an Ayatollah. Sadr has no power to issue any religious instructions. The "millions of Shias" will not follow him but Ayatollah Sistani. If Sistani does not dare to condemn his actions, Sadr would however become more dangerous. He has his fellow clerics blood on his hands and deserves to die, the sooner the better.

[HELEX]

.....Bush administration is not known for beeing diplomatic, now they have a real Problem.....

******, ******, ******, dune coon, raghead, camel-jockey.

http://www.smiliemania.de/smilie.php?smile_ID=726

[Soulhunter]

GWB: did you forget your medication today?

and the Iraqi judge and the Iraqi council in general are puppets indeed. never forget that. and the consequences of that will be really visible after June 30th when fashion maven Bremer has cut and run ...

[One?]

He is a lower-rank cleric, not an Ayatollah. Sadr has no power to issue any religious instructions. The "millions of Shias" will not follow him but Ayatollah Sistani. If Sistani does not dare to condemn his actions, Sadr would however become more dangerous. He has his fellow clerics blood on his hands and deserves to die, the sooner the better.


Sadr's father used to be one of the top leading clerics in the muslim world not only Iraq. His dad's followers are his followers. His army alone has over 1 million (if im not mistaken). He is not acting alone on this (although he is powerful enough). The rest of the clerics will soon agree and if the Coalition does indeed arrest Sadr then you will have a fatwa issued from Najaf or Karbala in no time.


GWB you're so funny, I can't stop laughing :cantbeli:


Update: Fadlallah (in lebanon) just denounced the warrant to arrest Sadr. I guess not only iraqis are pissed now. It is being said that Sadr is going to become like Nasrallah.

And sadr's army are already patroling the streets of karbala.

[Pistol762]

I am shocked that the great negotiator Jesse Jackson has not arrived on the scene to deal with these oppressed people. I figure it would be a greta opportunity for Jesse to extort... I mean....take advantage of an open market situation. :D

[aeternum]

He is a lower-rank cleric, not an Ayatollah. Sadr has no power to issue any religious instructions. The "millions of Shias" will not follow him but Ayatollah Sistani. If Sistani does not dare to condemn his actions, Sadr would however become more dangerous. He has his fellow clerics blood on his hands and deserves to die, the sooner the better.
Sadr is indeed just an Imam and not an Ayatollah. But his father was a grant Ayatollah. Sistani is a Grant Ayatollah as well.

[Resevoir Hogs]

About time they deal with him and his militia. It's one thing to be of the opinion that we shouldn't be there and it's totally different to actually use violence to attempt to push us out. His days are numbered.

[One?]

About time they deal with him and his militia. It's one thing to be of the opinion that we shouldn't be there and it's totally different to actually use violence to attempt to push us out. His days are numbered.


you wanna take on a 8 million iraqis? But wasn't this whole war to "protect iraqis" and not kill them?

[MaDuce]

He doesnt have 8 million Iraqis smart one

[Resevoir Hogs]

Hey one here's a suggestion look at the scenario before you comment on it.

Sadr isn't the majority leader of the Shias and in fact is a suspect in the killing of a very popular religious leader in Basra a few months back(that also killed or injured hundreds of bystandards at the mosque). The man is a fanatic and so are his followers or they are either simply ignorant and are taking any side against the coalition for the sake of it. To say that the entire population is against a democratic free Iraq is false and for us to leave now would betray the memory of those who have died both foreigners and Iraqis) to see that Iraq have the hope of a better future.

[HELEX]

Sadr received a very big charity network as a legacy from his father. This means he has enormous influence to the common people!

[Resevoir Hogs]

Ya I would believe that except for the fact that the majority of clerics in Iraq have denounced him and said he is too fanatical and a danger. Besides even IF the situation was that ALL 8 million people in Iraq were in line with his views I still wouldn't want us to pull out. In the harshest terms it really matters little what religious fanatics want at this point. However, I do not believe we have reached that point yet.

[Garibaldi]

Ya I would believe that except for the fact that the majority of clerics in Iraq have denounced him and said he is too fanatical and a danger. Besides even IF the situation was that ALL 8 million people in Iraq were in line with his views I still wouldn't want us to pull out. In the harshest terms it really matters little what religious fanatics want at this point. However, I do not believe we have reached that point yet.

It all began with the closure of Sadr´s newspaper on march 28th (an excellent way of theaching democracy and freedom of speech to the iraquis!) and then continued with the arrest of one of Sadr´s aides.
I think "that point" will be reached very soon if Bush administration continue with this kind of policy. Because no matter how the rest of the iraquis consider Sadr, the´ll feel angry just because he´s an iraqui muslim hunted by the americans.

[Resevoir Hogs]

HA have you read the stuff in Sadr's newspaper? Just like in any western democracy you can excercise your rights within reason. Insighting hate by spreading unfounded lies is not within reason and is subject to action just like it is here.

And those men were arrested in in connection with an ongoing investigation into the bombing of a Basra mosque that killed a prominent Shiite leader and a lot of other bystandards as they left the mosque.

So if what you're saying is you don't want that land to be rulled by laws that attempt to bring those who commit murder or hate crimes to justice well then I got nothing else to say to you.

[Garibaldi]

Sard is indicted for the stabbing of a Shiite cleric, Abdel-Majid Khoei, in Najaf on April 10, 2003, the day after the fall of president Saddam Hussein's government , not for the bombing you mention. That doesn´t makes him a better guy, just wanted to inform you.
By the way, have you read the newspapers Sadr printed? and read all his "unfounded lies"? Because I browsed around for days and couldn´t find a single newspaper or press agency quoting any of those "hate and false" statements.
Don´t asumme as true everything they told you, and try to be better informed.

[Romulus]

Update: Fadlallah (in lebanon) just denounced the warrant to arrest Sadr. I guess not only iraqis are pissed now.

Oh no the Arab world is upset with the US say it ain't so! :roll:

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

******, ******, ******, dune coon, raghead, camel-jockey.

:cantbeli:
You truely are stupid, I hope you get banned for that.

As for the whole cleric situation, your damned if you take him out of power and your damned if you dont.

[vikingblade]

hes an islamic extremist who advocates the killing of american and coalition forces. he needs to die, his followers need to die, and if they dont lay down in the dirt, where they belong, before a vastly superior military, they will.

didnt we get rid of the man who had his father killed... he should be kissing our asses.

any true muslim cannot support him or clerics like him and continue to say islam is about peace. cant have it both ways.

[mocking_loudly_died]

Is it just me or do all these clerics look like a bunch of evil f**ckers?
They need a smiling cleric giving two thumbs up in their propaganda posters.
Buddy cleric says "no pigs for you!".

[One?]

hes an islamic extremist who advocates the killing of american and coalition forces. he needs to die, his followers need to die, and if they dont lay down in the dirt, where they belong, before a vastly superior military, they will.

didnt we get rid of the man who had his father killed... he should be kissing our asses.

any true muslim cannot support him or clerics like him and continue to say islam is about peace. cant have it both ways.

he doesn't have kiss anyone's ass. He never asked you to help him in the first place ;)

It was peacefuly until they started arresting his followers and 2 days ago his deputy. You don't own Iraq so you don't own him. You cant opress freedom of speech if you realy advocating a true democracy. They also shutdown his newspaper. He called for peaceful protests asking the coalition to leave. When protestors were shot they fired back and it becamed an armed resistance.

[UkrainianAmerican]

hes an islamic extremist who advocates the killing of american and coalition forces. he needs to die, his followers need to die, and if they dont lay down in the dirt, where they belong, before a vastly superior military, they will.

didnt we get rid of the man who had his father killed... he should be kissing our asses.

any true muslim cannot support him or clerics like him and continue to say islam is about peace. cant have it both ways.

he doesn't have kiss anyone's ass. He never asked you to help him in the first place ;)

It was peacefuly until they started arresting his followers and 2 days ago his deputy. You don't own Iraq so you don't own him. You cant opress freedom of speech if you realy advocating a true democracy. They also shutdown his newspaper. He called for peaceful protests asking the coalition to leave. When protestors were shot they fired back and it becamed an armed resistance.
I guess that would mean these happy peaceful pacifist protestors happened to be ARMED.

[vikingblade]

hes an islamic extremist who advocates the killing of american and coalition forces. he needs to die, his followers need to die, and if they dont lay down in the dirt, where they belong, before a vastly superior military, they will.

didnt we get rid of the man who had his father killed... he should be kissing our asses.

any true muslim cannot support him or clerics like him and continue to say islam is about peace. cant have it both ways.

he doesn't have kiss anyone's ass. He never asked you to help him in the first place ;)

It was peacefuly until they started arresting his followers and 2 days ago his deputy. You don't own Iraq so you don't own him. You cant opress freedom of speech if you realy advocating a true democracy. They also shutdown his newspaper. He called for peaceful protests asking the coalition to leave. When protestors were shot they fired back and it becamed an armed resistance.

he may not have asked for help, but he needed it. and hes a hell of a lot better off without saddam. i dont think he was giving loud anti saddam speeches when saddam wasin power... no, cause he wouldve had his ass tortured to death. so now that weve done what no one else in the world had the balls to do...get rid of that psycho dictator, this cleric is gonna get all loud about the big bad US. well, ya know what, SCREW HIM. hes a coward who hid like a bitch when saddam was in power. now he sees an opportunity to grab some shiite power in a new government, without saddam by playing the anti-american card.

as far as him being peacuful until we shut down his newspaper and arresting his aide... bull****. his paper was instigating violence against the coalition...terrorism. his aide was a murderer and so is he. as soon as we took saddam out of the picture, he took the opportunity to murder a rival cleric. hes a scumbag and he will die or rot in prison.

finally, im so tired of hearing muslim extremists and their defenders rant about the millions and millions of angry muslims...blah, blah, blah... doesnt mean **** in the modern world. we are not fighting face to face with rocks here. the US military can wipe the floor with these untrained clowns...no matter the number. weve been fighting with our hands tied, these fuks better hope we dont take the gloves off, cause if we do, allah better get himself alot more virgins, hell be having a **** load of dead morons as house guests.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

I guess that would mean these happy peaceful pacifist protestors happened to be ARMED.
Its common practice for Iraqi's to have at least 1 Klashnikov or another rifle in there house, they are allowed to have it for protection and may not have more then 200 rounds for it.

Question for vikingblade, how old are you and whats your military experience?