Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Defected health minister said to have passed information on Sadrists to U.S.
Politics
(Azzaman) - Shiite Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is reported to be keen to put a new face to his movement already embroiled in sectarian revenge and death squads. Since his resurfacing following nearly four months of absence from Iraqi political scene, the young and charismatic Shiite leader has held several meetings with his aides to “restructure the movement whose ranks has been infiltrated by enemies,” officials close to the cleric said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said Sadr’s sudden emergence and his meetings have been prompted by the defection of one of his most senior aides, former Health Minister Ali al-Shammari. Shammari, who had resigned his post on Sadr’s orders for his movement to leave the government, has sought asylum in the U.S. which Sadr sees as an enemy.
The sources said Shammari was close to Sadr and had insider information of the movement’s influence, spread and organization. The movement fears that Shammari might have passed to the U.S. confidential information on how the movement procures arms and training and the links it has with Iran.
Since Shammari’s defection, U.S. generals in Iraq have been producing what they described as ‘evidence’ of Iran’s involvement in arming Iraqi insurgent groups and militia factions. Shammari is also reported to have passed lists of the movement’s military leaders, their whereabouts and functions.
Shammari was moved to the U.S. from Baghdad by a special military plane. His defection is seen is a blow to Sadr. But one the movement says Shammari was not that senior and influential. According to Ali Sharifi, one of the movement’s most senior officials, Shammari was not part of the top leadership. “The information regarding the influence of Shammari is exaggerated,” Sharifi said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said Sadr’s sudden emergence and his meetings have been prompted by the defection of one of his most senior aides, former Health Minister Ali al-Shammari. Shammari, who had resigned his post on Sadr’s orders for his movement to leave the government, has sought asylum in the U.S. which Sadr sees as an enemy.
The sources said Shammari was close to Sadr and had insider information of the movement’s influence, spread and organization. The movement fears that Shammari might have passed to the U.S. confidential information on how the movement procures arms and training and the links it has with Iran.
Since Shammari’s defection, U.S. generals in Iraq have been producing what they described as ‘evidence’ of Iran’s involvement in arming Iraqi insurgent groups and militia factions. Shammari is also reported to have passed lists of the movement’s military leaders, their whereabouts and functions.
Shammari was moved to the U.S. from Baghdad by a special military plane. His defection is seen is a blow to Sadr. But one the movement says Shammari was not that senior and influential. According to Ali Sharifi, one of the movement’s most senior officials, Shammari was not part of the top leadership. “The information regarding the influence of Shammari is exaggerated,” Sharifi said.
Labels: asylum, Health Minister Ali al-Shammari, Iran, Moqtada Al-Sadr, politics, U.S.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Al-Sadr asks al-Maliki to suspend Sadrists for agreeing to put Kirkuk under Kurdish control
Politics
(AP) - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has asked the prime minister to suspend two Cabinet ministers from his bloc because they backed a plan that likely will turn the oil-rich city of Kirkuk over to Kurdish control, a parliament member said Thursday.
Saleh al-Aujaili, the Sadr bloc legislator, said the cleric had asked Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to hold the seats open for his block when he reshuffles his cabinet, a moved that has been promised for weeks. Health Minister Ali al-Shammari and Agriculture Minister Yarrub Nazim, both members of the Sadrist movement, were among Cabinet ministers who agreed last week to a plan that would resettle Arabs from Kirkuk who had been moved into the city during Saddam Hussein's Baath party rule, the legislator said.
The decision was seen likely to guarantee a Kurdish majority in the city when it is to vote by year's end on whether it should be attached to the Kurd's semiautonomous region just to the north. The vote on the city's future was mandated under Iraq's constitution adopted in October 2005.
Shiite and Sunni lawmakers have declared deep opposition to the Kirkuk plan, although they have no say in the matter short of calling for a vote of confidence and bringing down the government. Repeated calls by The Associated Press to the ministers were not answered. Al-Aujaili said al-Sadr's movement had asked al-Maliki "to suspend their membership in the Cabinet until the government reshuffle takes place."
Saleh al-Aujaili, the Sadr bloc legislator, said the cleric had asked Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to hold the seats open for his block when he reshuffles his cabinet, a moved that has been promised for weeks. Health Minister Ali al-Shammari and Agriculture Minister Yarrub Nazim, both members of the Sadrist movement, were among Cabinet ministers who agreed last week to a plan that would resettle Arabs from Kirkuk who had been moved into the city during Saddam Hussein's Baath party rule, the legislator said.
The decision was seen likely to guarantee a Kurdish majority in the city when it is to vote by year's end on whether it should be attached to the Kurd's semiautonomous region just to the north. The vote on the city's future was mandated under Iraq's constitution adopted in October 2005.
Shiite and Sunni lawmakers have declared deep opposition to the Kirkuk plan, although they have no say in the matter short of calling for a vote of confidence and bringing down the government. Repeated calls by The Associated Press to the ministers were not answered. Al-Aujaili said al-Sadr's movement had asked al-Maliki "to suspend their membership in the Cabinet until the government reshuffle takes place."
It was not clear whether al-Sadr was moving to cleanse the organization of those he suspects of disloyalty to his anti-American stand, but two members of parliament from his bloc were ejected from the organization because they did not leave a luncheon Monday when U.S. commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus arrived, al-Aujaili said on Wednesday. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh did not answer calls seeking comment about al-Maliki's plans to agree to al-Sadr's request.
Labels: Agriculture Minister Yarrub Nazim, Health Minister Ali al-Shammari, Kirkuk, Kurdistan, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Saleh al-Aujaili
