Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
BAGHDAD, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Moqtada al-Sadr, a young cleric with a
mass following in Iraq, has yet to urge his supporters to back the ruling
Shi'ite Alliance party at next month's election but aides denied speculation
on Monday of a rift in the bloc.
The votes of Sadr's many followers will be an important factor on
Dec. 15 and he seems set to maintain an ambivalent stance toward the party
likely to dominate in Shi'ite regions.
It seems likely, however, that the cleric himself will keep himself
out of the political fray and not endorse the Alliance.
After a renegotiation of roles in the United Iraqi Alliance last
month to fight the parliamentary election, followers of Sadr have a bigger
and more formal role in the coalition than at present, putting them on a
virtually equal footing with the two main Shi'ite Islamist parties in the
bloc, Dawa and SCIRI.
Yet Sadr, whose Mehdi Army militia twice rose against U.S. and
British occupying forces last year, has made no public comment since then to
show his personal backing for the bloc.
When Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the
Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), visited Sadr in the Shi'ite holy city of
Najaf on Sunday evening, journalists turned out in force expecting a joint
news conference.
When Hakim later left without commenting, it prompted speculation
that a serious rift had developed in the Alliance.
Aides insisted there had been so such thing, however.
Mohammed al-Kaabi, from Sadr's movement, described Hakim's visit as
a courtesy call at the end of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
"The Alliance and politics were not discussed," he said.
Abbas al-Rubaie, a spokesman for Sadr, said his leader would make an
announcement on his political stance in the coming week.
Rubaie said it was possible Sadr would say he was not backing any
particular group in the election -- but this would not prevent his followers
from taking part in the Alliance.
In January's election, Sadr followers also took part and took three
seats in the coalition cabinet, despite their leader's refusal to endorse
any list -- he has said no election is legitimate until the U.S. occupation
ends.
One source close to Sadr's movement said Sadr would again definitely
not endorse a particular party, despite his supporters' involvement with the
Alliance.
mass following in Iraq, has yet to urge his supporters to back the ruling
Shi'ite Alliance party at next month's election but aides denied speculation
on Monday of a rift in the bloc.
The votes of Sadr's many followers will be an important factor on
Dec. 15 and he seems set to maintain an ambivalent stance toward the party
likely to dominate in Shi'ite regions.
It seems likely, however, that the cleric himself will keep himself
out of the political fray and not endorse the Alliance.
After a renegotiation of roles in the United Iraqi Alliance last
month to fight the parliamentary election, followers of Sadr have a bigger
and more formal role in the coalition than at present, putting them on a
virtually equal footing with the two main Shi'ite Islamist parties in the
bloc, Dawa and SCIRI.
Yet Sadr, whose Mehdi Army militia twice rose against U.S. and
British occupying forces last year, has made no public comment since then to
show his personal backing for the bloc.
When Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the
Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), visited Sadr in the Shi'ite holy city of
Najaf on Sunday evening, journalists turned out in force expecting a joint
news conference.
When Hakim later left without commenting, it prompted speculation
that a serious rift had developed in the Alliance.
Aides insisted there had been so such thing, however.
Mohammed al-Kaabi, from Sadr's movement, described Hakim's visit as
a courtesy call at the end of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
"The Alliance and politics were not discussed," he said.
Abbas al-Rubaie, a spokesman for Sadr, said his leader would make an
announcement on his political stance in the coming week.
Rubaie said it was possible Sadr would say he was not backing any
particular group in the election -- but this would not prevent his followers
from taking part in the Alliance.
In January's election, Sadr followers also took part and took three
seats in the coalition cabinet, despite their leader's refusal to endorse
any list -- he has said no election is legitimate until the U.S. occupation
ends.
One source close to Sadr's movement said Sadr would again definitely
not endorse a particular party, despite his supporters' involvement with the
Alliance.