A Shiite Muslim cleric threatened on Friday to launch suicide attacks if U.S. troops attack him and his forces in the holy city of Najaf.
| Not personally, of course. |
| Be a real shame if he had a work accident. |
Muqtada al-Sadr, was speaking during the Friday prayers sermon in Kufa, another Shiite Muslim holy city few kilometres from Najaf. The area is mostly controlled by his Al-Mahdi army militia, whose members have clashed with U.S. troops several times since their uprising began on April 4.
| Be a shame if something didn't happen to him on the way back to Najaf, if he is going back. |
"Some of the Mujahideen brothers have told me they want to carry out martyrdom attacks but I am postponing this," al-Sadr said in front of thousands of worshippers. "When we are forced to do so and when our city and holy sites are attacked, we will all be timebombs in the face of the enemy."
| "We? What you mean we, turban boy? |
He condemned suicide bombings Wednesday in the southern city of Basra that killed 73 people because they targeted Iraqi police and civilians.
| "No, no, no! You're supposed to be booming infidels!" |
U.S. forces are deployed outside Najaf, but their mission to capture or kill al-Sadr has effectively been put on hold while negotiators try to resolve the standoff. U.S. commanders say they have no intention for the time being of entering Najaf, the holiest Shiite city.
| Got to wait his turn, Fallujah is first in the barrel. |
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