Sadr Threatens Suicide Attacks on U.S. Forces

Militant Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr ratcheted up his anti-American rhetoric Friday, threatening to launch suicide attacks if U.S. forces enter Iraq’s holy cities to capture or kill him.

Sadr’s remarks, made during Friday prayers at the Kufa mosque, marked an ominous escalation in the standoff between the cleric, whose militia has seized control of mosques and other key sites in Najaf and Kufa, and U.S. officials, who have been threatening to retake the southern cities by force.

Wrapping a white cloth over his shoulders to symbolize his readiness for martyrdom, Sadr urged the gathering of thousands of his followers to resist U.S. attempts to occupy the holy cities.

“We will shed blood to keep our holy city,” Sadr said.

He said some of his followers had approached him, asking to carry out suicide missions against the United States. He told them not to do so at this time, he said, but left open the possibility of future attacks.

“When we are forced to do so and when our city and holy sites are attacked, we will all be time bombs in the face of the enemy,” Sadr said.

In a speech televised on an Arabic-language channel Friday, L. Paul Bremer III, the chief U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, demanded that Sadr disband his militia. “Armed militias should not be allowed to exploit holy shrines to advance personal political interests,” Bremer said.

Sadr also chastised the citizens of Najaf and Kufa, many of whom do not support his occupation of their cities and have been closing their shops and leaving the area in anticipation of clashes with U.S. forces.

By contrast, Sadr praised the Sunni Muslim citizens of Fallouja, saying they “are ready to defend their city” against U.S. forces “until the last drop of blood.”

Sadr’s public threat of suicide attacks is certain to further complicate efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. Recently, U.S. officials shut down a Sadr-controlled newspaper because they said it published false and incendiary statements that encouraged violence against U.S. troops.

The standoff began two weeks ago when about 2,500 U.S. troops began massing outside Najaf. The two sides have clashed several times, including in a five-hour battle on the outskirts of Kufa on April 16 that killed as many as 40 Iraqis and wounded three U.S. soldiers.

Officials have stepped back in recent days from plans to enter the city, saying they wanted to give negotiations more time.

In the southern city of Basra, police Friday announced the arrest of five Iraqis in this week’s suicide bombings that killed 74 people, including at least 16 children in passing school buses, Associated Press reported. The suspects, who Iraqi police believe are linked to the Al Qaeda terrorist network, led police to a 20-ton cache of explosives, according to AP.

In Karbala, also south of Baghdad, a coalition convoy was ambushed Friday as it drove through downtown. The attackers are believed to be linked to Sadr’s Al Mahdi militia.

A Bulgarian soldier was killed when the vehicles were hit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Two coalition vehicles were heavily damaged.

Later, coalition forces made up of Polish, Bulgarian, Lithuanian and Latvian troops were sent to secure the city hall and surrounding areas. A U.S. military spokesman said the fighting lasted only a few minutes. “Karbala is quiet,” Maj. Bob Meadows said.

In Fallouja, to the west of Baghdad, a fragile cease-fire agreement was closer to falling apart as insurgents continued to attack Marine positions.

Among the latest casualties in the skirmishes were two children hit by a mortar round while their family was attempting to evacuate their home near the demarcation line between the combatants.

The children -- Yusef Abdul Basit, 9, and his brother, Affan, 8 -- were treated at a Marine encampment, then sent to a hospital run by the Jordanian army on the outskirts of Fallouja. Doctors said the boys were peppered by mortar fragments but their injuries were not life-threatening.

The Marines were attempting to help the family escape when they came under attack. “We’re magnets for mortars,” Lt. Ross Schellhaas said.

Military officials said Friday that there had been no significant increase in the amount of heavy weaponry turned in by insurgents in Fallouja. Marines had offered to halt military operations there if insurgents surrendered their weapons. But Marines say they have received only older, low-quality arms.

Hachim Hassani, a lead negotiator seeking to mediate a truce, said he expected city leaders to turn in far more weapons in a second shipment that would be delivered by today.

He said military officials were supposed to meet again with Fallouja leaders today or Sunday. Town leaders remain hopeful that they can resolve the matter without bloodshed, Hassani added. But others are pessimistic that another U.S. offensive can be avoided.

“Negotiations have failed,” said Saad Shaker, another member of the negotiating team.

In his 20-minute television address, Bremer attempted to calm and inspire a frustrated and war-weary populace.

“We have to do much as we walk this path,” Bremer told the Iraqi nation in a speech that will be re-broadcast several times in the coming days. “The enemies, domestic and foreign, of your bright future are trying to force you to take the path that leads backwards to brute force, division and hatred....

“We in the coalition will do our part to restore security. But you must do your part, too. If you do not defend your beloved country, it will not be saved.”

Special correspondent Raheem Salman in Kufa and staff writers Nicholas Riccardi and Jeffrey Fleishman in Baghdad and Tony Perry in Fallouja contributed to this report.