Militant cleric urges protests of U.S.-Iraq deal

updated 5:41 p.m. ET May 27, 2008

BAGHDAD - Militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called Tuesday for followers to hold weekly protests against a U.S.-Iraqi security deal under negotiation that could lead to a long-term American troop presence.

The outcry by al-Sadr could sharply heighten tensions over the proposed pact, which is supposed to be finished by July to replace the current U.N. mandate overseeing U.S.-led troops in Iraq.

Al-Sadr — whose powerful Mahdi Army militia has often battled U.S. and Iraqi forces — is one of the most vocal opponents of the U.S. presence in Iraq, but many Iraqis have expressed worries over any final deal that involves permanent American bases.

Al-Sadr, who is believed to be in Iran, did not give specific guidance on the planned demonstrations in a statement issued by top Shiite religious officials. Any major marches, however, could put added strain on a tenuous truce between the Mahdi Army and the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki after weeks of battles that began in late March.

In northern Iraq, meanwhile, a car bomb exploded near a popular market in Tal Afar, killing four civilians and wounding 46 others, said the city's mayor, Maj. Gen. Najim Abdullah.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. It came hours after an al-Qaida in Iraq front group warned that insurgents would retaliate against U.S. and Iraqi forces, which began a crackdown nearly two weeks ago in the main northern city of Mosul, 40 miles east of Tal Afar.

A man claiming to be a spokesman for the Islamic State of Iraq in Ninevah province, which includes Mosul, said in a videotape posted online that insurgents were at "full strength" despite the Mosul sweeps and were just waiting for the proper time to counterattack.

"We are the ones who control the hour to start the initiative and we will choose the time for retaliation or engagement," said the unidentified spokesman, whose face was covered. The Islamic State of Iraq is a coalition of insurgent groups lead by al-Qaida in Iraq.

There was no way to authenticate the comments. But the video bore the logo of al-Furqan, one of al-Qaida's media production wings, and was posted on a number of Islamic Web sites that usually carry militant statements.

Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, has been dubbed by the U.S. military as al-Qaida's last major urban stronghold in Iraq.

Officials have claimed initial success in the crackdown, saying more than 1,200 suspects have been detained. Iraqi security forces also have met with little resistance — though there have some attacks, including a shooting near a Mosul police station that killed one policeman Tuesday, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf.

Ongoing dialogue
On the political front, al-Maliki convened a meeting with Iraq's president, the two vice presidents and other political leaders late Monday to discuss the ongoing negotiations with the U.S. over a security deal.

The prime minister said the decision "should shared by all political powers in the country," said Nasser al-Ani, a spokesman for the presidential council. He said the delegates agreed to continue the dialogue.

Details of the terms under negotiation are not known. Al-Maliki has said the agreement will provide for U.S. security help to protect Iraq, and most Iraqi leaders have said they support some form of continued American role. But the numbers of American troops and the rules of conduct in Iraq remain highly controversial.

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