Letter from 400 Iraqi Intellectuals Calling for the Arrest of Muqtada al-Sadr - 2003-10-21

More than 400 Iraqi intellectuals residing inside and outside the country have accused Muqtada al-Sadr, a young and radical Shia cleric, of committing criminal acts to achieve illegitimate political goals in Iraq. These individuals also demanded that the Transitional Governing Council arrest al-Sadr and dissolve his military unit. They condemned al-Sadr and his supporters for destabilizing the country in statements overseen by the Iraqi National Human Rights Organization in the fight against terrorism. According to the website Baztab and citing Eilaf, the Iraqi intellectuals called for legislation by judges and the Transitional Governing Council to prevent acts of violence and extremism, particularly the activities of the military group 'Jaysh al-Mahdi' affiliated with al-Sadr. In another part of the statement, the Iraqi intellectuals called for swift action by Iraqi judicial authorities to arrest al-Sadr. They believe that al-Sadr's continued activities will lead to severe clashes among followers of different religions, sects, and political groups in Iraq. In recent days, following an assault by al-Sadr's forces on the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala to gain a foothold, a fierce battle erupted between his forces and supporters of Ayatollah Sistani, resulting in several casualties. Observers believe that al-Sadr does not have significant support among Iraqi Shiites and is even forced to hold Friday prayers at the Kufa Mosque; consequently, he has always tried to make headlines by creating controversies and making provocative statements. For instance, he claimed a few days ago that he was seeking to establish a parallel government in Iraq, naming one of its ministries 'Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.' However, this young cleric quickly expressed regret over his statements.