A report I read claimed that he would be willing to submit to trial but only
in an Iraqi court that was in a legitimate and sovereign Iraq, not any
present court or even one in the transitional government.
Even the moderate clerics are holding out against allowing US forces back
into Najaf and they are also against the arrest of Sadr. Unlike BUsh the
alleged thug Sadr is willing to give many concessions to avoid bloodshed, a
compromise that may not sit well with some of his followers.
Perhaps the attempt to use Iran to mediate is meant by the US to sow
divisions between Shia and Sunni again. Not surprisingly today an Iranian
diplomat was assasinated in Baghdad.
Cheers, Ken Hanly
Cheers, Ken Hanly
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marvin Gandall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 7:45 AM
Subject: Revolt fizzling?
> Today’s Daily Telegraph is reporting that Moqtada al-Sadr has indicated
his
> willingness to surrender and disband the Mahdi Army, which would likely
halt
> the 10-day old Shia rising.
>
> According to the Telegraph, Sadr is said to be “buckling under the twin
> pressures of a massive build-up of American forces near his base and
demands
> for moderation from the country's ayatollahs.”
>
> Sadr and his militia control Najaf, but his emissaries have reportedly
told
> US authorities and the Iraqi Governing Council (ICG) that, if his personal
> safety is guaranteed, he would agree to submit to trial in an Iraqi court
on
> charges of having last year ordered the assassination of a rival cleric.
>
> Unless the leak is calculated disinformation, Sadr’s sudden capitulation
is
> surprising, because he had vowed a fight to the death, his mass support
was
> growing, and it was widely felt the Americans would not assault Najaf, a
> Shia holy site.
>
> But the Telegraph says Sadr has been subject to intense pressure from the
> senior Shia clergy and the Iranian government, which favours the SCIRI, a
> rival Shia faction.
>
> Article on
>
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$CRGUYNIF1XGP3QFIQMGCFF
>
4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2004/04/15/wirq15.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/04/15/ixnewstop
> .html
>
> Also: www.supportingfacts.com
>
> Sorry for any cross posting.
>
