August 20, 2004
Sistani to the rescue
This is not the first time he has come to the Americans' aide at a critical time:
Militants Remove Arms From Najaf ShrineOne al-Sadr aide said the keys to the shrine could be handed over later Friday to religious authorities under al-Sistani, though details were still being worked out.
Sporadic gunfire and occasional explosions were heard in the city Friday evening, but far less than previous nights.
By nightfall, al-Sadr's fighters remained in control of the shrine, but they were no longer bringing their weapons inside the walled compound of the holy site, according to an Associated Press reporter inside.
Many armed militiamen were still circulating in the Old City district outside the shrine, but as they entered the compound they left their guns with comrades outside, then reclaimed them as they exited.
No weapons were visible inside the shrine, the AP reporter said. It was not known whether any weapons were hidden inside, though militant leaders denied they had hidden any....
Handing over the shrine to al-Sistani's religious authorities appeared to be a face-saving way to emerge from the standoff for al-Sadr, who opposes the U.S. presence in Iraq and often sharply criticizes the pro-U.S. interim government.
"We don't want to appease the government. ... We want to appease the Iraqi people," an aide to al-Sadr, Ahmed al-Shaibany, said earlier Friday as he headed to al-Sistani's office in the city to discuss handing over the keys.
An aide to al-Sistani, who has been undergoing medical treatment in London, said al-Sistani agreed but that details of a transfer still needed to be worked out.
"If they want to hand over the keys to the Shiite religious leadership, then the religious leadership will welcome this in order to defuse the crisis," Sheik Hamed Khafaf said.
This is a big step from Friday morning, with gunmen on the roof of the mosque.
Posted by Mike at August 20, 2004 02:15 PM | TrackBack