IRAQ:US and Iraqi troops seized a prominent spokesman for Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr yesterday, confronting a movement that has a key role in the ruling coalition but is accused by Washington of running death squads.
The midnight raid near Baghdad's Sadr City district, which Sadr's aides called an "American provocation", came as defence secretary Robert Gates flew in to Basra to meet the commander in Iraq, Gen George Casey.
Dealing with Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia is a burning issue for US forces and Shia prime minister Nuri al-Maliki as they prepare what many see as a last-ditch effort to rein in sectarian violence.
Mr Gates said Iraq was at a "pivotal moment" and failure would be a "calamity" for US interests.
Moqtada al-Sadr is an ally of Mr al-Maliki who has been criticised by Washington and leaders of the once dominant Sunni Arab minority for failing to disarm the Mehdi Army.
Mr al-Maliki, however, said this month he will crack down on Shia militias and said 400 Mehdi Army members had been arrested in mainly Shia southern Iraq over recent days.
Yesterday's move appeared to be part of a campaign of targeted operations against key figures in the Mehdi Army. It was not clear which was the main suspect among at least three people arrested, including Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, a spokesman for Sadr.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Darraji's arrest was "not against the Sadrists" as a political movement but due to security concerns about Darraji, who would be released if an investigation cleared him. The US military did not name the main suspect, who it said was held with two others.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica quoted Sadr as saying a crackdown on his followers had started, but he did not plan to resist during the holy month of Muharram starting this week.
"It has already started," the paper quoted Sadr as saying. "Last night they already arrested more than 400 of my people. It's not us they want to destroy, but Islam." - (Reuters)