Shiite Sadr urges restraint over Iraq tensions

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NAJAF - Iraq's firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr made a rare public appearance in the holy city of Najaf today to call for restraint amid sectarian tension between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

"Any action targeting unarmed civilians is forbidden under any circumstances," Sadr said during a news conference, the first held by the young cleric since the fierce fighting that pitted his militia against US troops last year in Najaf.

"We reject these terror operations, whether they are carried out by the occupiers or others," he added. "The occupiers are trying to sow division among the Iraqi people, but there are no Sunnis and Shiites. Iraqis are one."

The comments he made from his house in the Shiite city's Hannana neighbourhood came against a backdrop of sectarian violence and a day after at least 46 bodies killed execution-style were found in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq.

SundayTimes.co.ZA

[NNN0LHI]

Shiite firebrand Sadr urges restraint over Iraq communal tensions

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1503&e=3&u=/afp/20050516/ts_afp/iraqshiitesadr_050516133442

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - Iraq's firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr has made a rare public appearance in the holy city of Najaf to call for restraint amid sectarian tension between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

"Any action targeting unarmed civilians is forbidden under any circumstances," Sadr said Monday during a news conference, the first held by the young cleric since the fierce fighting that pitted his militia against US troops last year in Najaf.

"We reject these terror operations, whether they are carried out by the occupiers or others," he added.

"The occupiers are trying to sow division among the Iraqi people, but there are no Sunnis and Shiites. Iraqis are one."

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1. Anti-U.S. cleric delivers first speech since Najaf clashes

Compare and contrast. Please note that all words put in al
Sadr's mouth are translations from Arabic.

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr came out of hiding Monday for the first time since his fighters clashed with American forces in August, delivering a fiery speech demanding that coalition forces leave Iraq and that Saddam Hussein be punished.

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"I demand several things, including punishing Saddam and calling on the Iraqi government, religious movements and political factions to work hard to kick out the occupier," al-Sadr said. "I want the immediate withdrawal of the occupation forces."

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"The occupier is trying to make up a sectarian war between the Sunnis and Shiites," al-Sadr said. "It is not acceptable to direct the allegations of ugly acts committed by the occupier against the Shiites, to the Sunnis, we also condemn and denounce all the terrorist acts."

He did not elaborate but apparently was referring to a spate of violence since the April 28 announcement of Iraq's new, Shiite-dominated government. More than 450 people have been killed in insurgent-related activity that has raised fears of an outbreak of a wider sectarian conflict.

USA Today

[no_to_war_economy]

2. the truth hurts eh senior presidente

bush crime family has to have civil strife in Iraq to justify their presence