Iraqi Gov't, Police Officials: U.S. behind 'assassination' of Sadr aide, violating security handover

Thousands protested at al-Amiri's funeral yesterday

Moqtada al-Sadr at yesterday's funeral. Al-Sadr released a statement calling the killing a "vicious, terrorist assault", and stating “We heard that Allah’s enemy is weeping because his soldiers are killed in Iraq. We ask Allah to make him weep more and more.”

NAJAF, Iraq, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Iraqi officials in the city of Najaf said on Thursday that a raid which killed a top aide of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was a violation of the deal that transferred U.S. control of Najaf to the Iraqi army.

Less than 10 days after the U.S. military handed control of Najaf to Iraqi forces, U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell told reporters that a U.S. soldier killed Saheb al-Amiri in a raid planned and carried out by Iraqi forces.

But officials in Najaf said neither the provincial governor nor security forces in the city were warned about the raid and disputed that the Iraqis had planned the operation.

The raid led to angry protests by thousands of Sadr supporters against U.S. forces during Amiri's funeral.

Sadr controls the Mehdi Army, which U.S. forces blame for widespread sectarian killings and unrest in parts of southern and central Iraq, including a district of Baghdad which bears his family name.

Caldwell said the raid was carried out by 35 soldiers from the 8th Iraqi Army Division with the assistance of eight U.S. military advisers.

A spokesman for Najaf's governor called Amiri's killing an "assassination" and said the raid violated the handover's security agreement. Sadr aides said Amiri was head of a charity for the poor and had no links to militias.

"The governor of Najaf considers it a violation of the security treaty since the security file was officially handed over to Iraqis," Najaf governor spokesman Ahmed Diabil said.

Iraqi army and police spokesman in Najaf, Colonel Ali Numas Ijrau, also disputed the account given by Caldwell.

"We didn't have any information about an operation targeting the house of Saheb al-Amiri. It is American intelligence who collected the information and who raided the house," he said.

Read the rest at Retuers/Alternet

Related Link:
Angry protests in Najaf after U.S. soldier kills Sadr aide

Related Link:
Sources: Sistani, Maliki reject U.S. plan, say Sadr must be included in government

Related Link:
Sadr denies plans to rejoin government, may call for new elections

Related Link:
Sources: Sistani opposes U.S.-backed anti-Sadr coaltion

Related Link:
New Iraqi political alliance hits snag over Sadr

Related Link:
Iraqi Shi'ite leaders head to Najaf to avert crisis

Related Link:
Iraqi Factions Try to Undercut a Plan to Isolate Sadr

Related Link:
Report: Sadr to end government boycott, meets with Shi'ite coalition this weekend

Related Link:
Report: Sadr considers 'unilateral' one-month cease fire

Related Link:
Report: Pentagon plan for substantial buildup of troops in Iraq, attack on al-Sadr

Related Link:
Sadr: Maliki had no right to extend U.N. mandate, will continue boycott