Sadr seeks credibility

Senior aides of Muqtada al-Sadr, Hazim al-Araji & Abdul-Hadi al-Daraji met Sheik Abdul Salam al-Kubaisi, spokesman for the Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars on Sunday (see AP pic). Their intention was to reduce tensions that have flared amid violence that has killed at least 550 people, including 10 Shiite and Sunni clerics, since the new Shiite-dominated government was announced on April 28.

Sadr is also seeking political credibility within the Shia communities – which is backed by military force. His offer of an alliance with the Sunni clerics predicates a joint wish to remove the US and allied forces from the country.

On Al-Arabiya TV last week ,Harith al-Dhari, a Sunni cleric leader blamed the death of Sunni clerics last week on the Badr Brigades. “The people that are behind the campaign of killings of preachers and worshipers are the Badr Brigade," he said. Brigade general secretary Hadi al-Amri in the heated exchange seen by many throughout the Middle East, denied the charge, and accused the Sunni clerical association of wanting to "push Iraq into a sectarian conflict." The militia leader Amri claimed that Dhari and his outspoken son, Muthanna, support the Al-Qaida-allied terrorist network of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Al-Sadr, in an interview on Al-Arabiya TV on Sunday said the talks were aimed at settling the feud between the cleric's association and the Badr Bridges.

"Iraq needs to stand side-by-side for the time being," al-Sadr said identifying the concerns that Iraq's Shiite and Sunni communities were pushing the country toward a civil war.

Sunni leaders announced on Saturday that they had formed an alliance of tribal, political and religious groups to help Iraq's once dominant minority regain power and influence following a Shiite rise to power after Saddam's demise.

The Sunni loss of power since the US inspired elections is seen by most observers as a key source of Iraq's soaring internecine strife which saw many more victims over the weekend.

Elsewhere Laith Kuba, spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, urged Sunni Muslim leaders to take a strong stand on the killing of security forces and others at the hand of the insurgents. Sunni extremists are believed to be driving Iraq's insurgency.

''They should also give their opinion about the killing of civilians,'' he said. ''The Iraqi people want to hear that.'' A court on Sunday sentenced to death three Sunnis claimed to be members of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army “terror group” for killing 3 Iraqi police officers last year.