Arrest warrant issued for outlawed Iraq cleric

By: Hamoud Kufi

BAGHDAD, Iraq: An Iraqi judge has issued an arrest warrant for a Shiite cleric Muqtada As-Sadr for the slaying of another cleric last year, coalition officials said Monday, while also the top US overseer in Iraq Paul Bremer declared As-Sadr an “outlaw” Monday after his supporters rioted in Baghdad and four other cities in fighting that claimed at least 52 Iraqis killing eight US troops and a Salvadoran soldier.

A close aide of As-Sadr said the cleric was “proud” to be an outlaw.

The warrant links AS-Sadr to the murder of Abdul Majid Al-Khoei, hacked to death at the compound of Imam Ali (pbuh) holy Shrine in the holy city of Najaf some days after he returned home from England in April 2003 by a mob that also killed one of Khoei's aides. Senior clerics at the time blamed the killings on a group linked to Sadr. Sadr's group denied the charge.

Coalition forces detained Sadr's aide Mustafa Al-Yacoubi at his Najaf home Saturday. His detention stoked anti-American demonstrations across Iraq, many of which turned violent.

Separately, militiamen of As-Sadr took control of Imam Ali (pbuh) holy shrine in the holy city of Najaf as well as Kufa Mosque after guards who normally protect the two sites had left, an AFP correspondent reported. The militiamen were also in control on Monday of several government buildings including the governor house in the British-controlled southern main port city of Basra.

Meanwhile, US President Bush said the United States would not let mounting violence in Iraq affect the campaign to establish democracy in the country.

“We will not be shaken by the thugs and terrorists,” Bush said in a speech here as US troops backed by helicopters battled in Baghdad and launched an operation in the town of Fallujah.

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