UK to Face Wrath of Sadr

Sadr’s Representative in Basra, Sheik Saad Al-Basri, declared yesterday, "We will fight not the Iraqi police and soldiers, but rather the foreign armies. If the Iraqi security forces line up beside our enemies, then we will fight hard against them as well."

Basri criticized the British forces for arresting four members of the Sadr militia. He said that the turmoil in Necef (Najaf), which spiked in the last few days, would soon manifest itself in Basra as well. An Al-Sadr Representative in the Basra Parliament added that the occupiers were violating the ceasefire, which began in June.

Yesterday’s clashes in the Shiite holy city of Najaf between American troops and the Mahdi Army claimed the lives of one American soldier and three Iraqi civilians; four Iraqis received injuries. In addition, Two American troops were injured when their helicopter crashed during the fighting.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Internal Affairs Minister Felah Ennakib said yesterday that they would not meet with the militia forces despite the violent attacks. When asked whether the Iraqi Interim Government wanted to arrest Sadr or kill him, Ennakib replied, "We will arrest everyone who endangers the security of the country."

Elsewhere, in northern Iraq, a gas pipeline connecting the Kirkuk-Yumurtalık oil pipeline to a power station was sabotaged.

Also, kidnappers released Jordanian businessman Adil Ubeydullah after his family paid a ransom of US$100,000. Ubeydullah had been held hostage in Iraq for eight days. Two other Jordanians are still being held for ransom in Iraq.