US Urged to Mull Deal on Shi'ite Revolt - Council

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040411/ts_nm/iraq_sadr_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Governing Council members have proposed to the United States that it consider a deal to end a Shi'ite Muslim revolt by agreeing not to arrest rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, Council members said on Sunday.

They said Iraq (news - web sites)'s U.S. governor Paul Bremer had seemed receptive to the proposal, under which Iraqis would be left to decide whether to arrest Sadr. An Iraqi judge has issued an arrest warrant for Sadr in connection with the murder of another cleric in the city of Najaf last year. snip

SOFTER STANCE


Adnan Ali, a spokesman for the Shi'ite Dawa Party, which is represented on the Iraqi Governing Council, said U.S. officials had privately softened their stance on arresting Sadr and a deal was expected in the next few days.


Ali said the deal would include Sadr disbanding his militia and abandoning public property he occupied, and U.S. guarantees not to harm him.


"The legal procedures against him will be only handled by Iraqis," he said.

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