Saturday, October 14, 2006
Al-Sadr threatens to denounce Mahdi Militia death squads
Security
Radical Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Friday he would denounce any members of his own militia who are found to have taken part in a spate of death squad killings against Iraqis. "There are rumours that there are groups or persons from the Mehdi Army are attacking the Iraqi people with no right to do so," Sadr said in a statement bearing his signature distributed by his office in the holy city of Najaf. "It is not proved so far but, if proved, I will declare their names and will renounce them with no fear or hesitation," he said, amid growing evidence of links between the Mehdi Army and a surge in sectarian violence around Iraq.
Nevertheless, in recent months black-clad fighters claiming allegiance to the Mehdi Army have once again been involved in fighting with US and Iraqi forces and have been accused of supporting sectarian death squads. US commanders now cite Shiite militias as the biggest single threat to the stability of Iraq and warn that they are awaiting the green light from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to launch an operation to clear Sadr City of gunmen.
Sadr's admitted that some of his supporters might have made "personal decisions" to carry out attacks, and warned: "Criminals should not take righteousness as a shield." He said Mehdi Army fighters who carried out murders should make use of the holy month of Ramadan "to repent", warning that if they do not do so he will no longer seek to protect them from the consequences. "I ask them to do this because I love them, not because I need them," he said.
Nevertheless, in recent months black-clad fighters claiming allegiance to the Mehdi Army have once again been involved in fighting with US and Iraqi forces and have been accused of supporting sectarian death squads. US commanders now cite Shiite militias as the biggest single threat to the stability of Iraq and warn that they are awaiting the green light from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to launch an operation to clear Sadr City of gunmen.
Sadr's admitted that some of his supporters might have made "personal decisions" to carry out attacks, and warned: "Criminals should not take righteousness as a shield." He said Mehdi Army fighters who carried out murders should make use of the holy month of Ramadan "to repent", warning that if they do not do so he will no longer seek to protect them from the consequences. "I ask them to do this because I love them, not because I need them," he said.
COMMENT: Having faced criticism that he is losing control of the Mahdi Militia, al-Sadr is trying to show that he is still in control. That rogue elements of the MM will pay heed to his threat is unlikely. Politically he also needs to be seen to be supporting the security effort. COMMENT ENDS.
