(Telegraph-UK) David Blair - Fearing that the majority Shia may yet again see the prize of control of their country slipping away, Shia supreme spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani wants Sadr to end his revolt, and quickly. According to his aides, Sadr is willing to disband his Mahdi militia in return for guarantees that he will not be arrested in connection with the murder of a senior cleric. But without his loyal gunmen, Sadr will probably cease to be a powerful figure. In Najaf, he enjoys only minority support. The city is firmly under the control of al-Sistani and another heavily armed Shia militia, the Badr Brigades.
2004-04-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive