Thousands protest in Najaf against arrest of Hakim's son

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Thousands of Shiites rallied in the holy city of Najaf on Saturday to protest the nearly 12-hour detention of the eldest son of Iraq’s most influential Shiite politician as he crossed back from Iran.

Amar al-Hakim, who was taken into custody on Friday, complained Saturday that U.S. soldiers handcuffed and blindfolded him before his release and ”strongly abused” his bodyguards. ”Is this the way to deal with a national figure? This does not conform with Iraq’s sovereignty,” he said.

He said cell phones, licensed weapons and two-way radios were among items confiscated. ”It is not a question of offering apologies,” the black-turbaned cleric told reporters in Najaf, about 100 miles south of Baghdad. ”We need clear and honest measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.”

Even though U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad issued a rapid apology, the decision to hold al-Hakim _ and his complaints about his detention _ risk touching off a backlash from Shiite leaders at a time when their cooperation is needed most to keep a major security sweep through Baghdad from unraveling.

Read the rest at the Boston Herald

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