Thousands of Shi'ites protest U.S. forces in Iraq
(agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-10 09:21

Thousands of supporters of rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr marched in Baghdad on Saturday to denounce the U.S. presence in Iraq and call for a speedy trial of Saddam Hussein on the second anniversary of his overthrow.

Shi'ite protestors demonstrate against the continued U.S. military presence in Iraq in Najaf on April 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of followers of a rebel Shi'ite cleric marched in Baghdad to denounce the U.S. presence in Iraq and demand a speedy trial of Saddam Hussein, on the second anniversary of his overthrow. [Reuters]

Chanting "No, no to the occupiers," thousands of young and old men gathered in the poor Shi'ite district of Sadr City to begin a planned peaceful march to Firdos Square, the central Baghdad spot where Saddam's statue was torn down two years ago.

Crowds of Sadr's supporters from across the country were already gathered at the square by mid-morning, waving Iraqi flags and calling out: "No America! No Saddam! Yes to Islam!."

Sunni Muslims, many of whom also strongly oppose U.S. forces, were expected to join the demonstration, the Muslim Clerics' Association, an influential Sunni body, said.

"Many of our brothers, including Sunnis, have welcomed the call and will take part," said Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Daraji, a spokesman for Sadr, as crowds behind him shouted "No, no America!." "We hope it's going to be one million people strong."

Followers of Sadr from the southern Shi'ite cities of Basra, Amara and Nassiriya traveled hundreds of miles to join the protest, showing the appeal the young cleric can command.

The demonstration was expected to be the largest since the Jan. 30 election and the first since the new government began to take shape.

Sadr, a low-ranking cleric in his mid-30s, oversees a militia force called the Mehdi Army that is thought to be several thousand strong. He led two violent uprisings against U.S. forces last year, sparking weeks of fighting.

Iraqi security forces shut down central Baghdad ahead of the demonstration, but were not expecting problems.

"We're quite relaxed about it," said Sabah Kadhim, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, which is overseeing security arrangements.

"The demonstration is supporting what the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government have said they want -- a trial for Saddam and the departure of U.S. forces," he said.

"We don't think this is going to be a huge number -- it's not going to be a million-man-march -- but we are taking precautions as we have done over recent months."

U.S. forces were not in evidence on the streets, but Kadhim said they could be called in to support if needed.

ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT

Firdos Square has become a central rallying place for Iraqis since Saddam's overthrow two years ago. U.S. forces last year shut down the square, sealing it off with razor wire, to prevent people massing on the first anniversary.

Saturday's protest taps into the growing frustration among large swathes of the Iraqi population against the U.S. presence in the country. Even many Iraqis who would not take up arms against the Americans still want troops to leave soon.

Scandals such as the abuse of Iraqi detainees by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison and the deaths of Iraqi detainees in U.S. custody have exacerbated the situation. More than 10,000 Iraqis are being held by U.S. forces, most without trial.

There is also disbelief that more than two years since the war, Saddam and his senior lieutenants have still not been tried. Trials are expected to begin later this year, although Saddam is unlikely to be one of the first to appear in court.

The protest comes as efforts are still being made to complete the formation of a government nearly 10 weeks since the election. Earlier this week a president and two vice presidents were named, along with a prime minister.

But the prime minister, Islamist Shi'ite leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is still working on his cabinet and has said it could take him up to two weeks before it is named.

Iraqi officials have cautioned that the longer it takes to form a government the more it will play into the hands of insurgents, who will view authorities as weak and indecisive.

While there is evidence of a tapering off in insurgent activity since the election -- attacks against U.S. forces have fallen more than 20 percent in the past two months -- there continue to be more than 40 attacks a day.

On Friday, a U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside bomb blast north of Baghdad, raising to at least 1,540 the number of U.S. troops who have lost their lives in Iraq.

On Saturday, the bodies of 15 Iraqi soldiers were found in the lawless area just south of Baghdad, Iraqi police said. Police said the soldiers were in a truck that was stopped by insurgents on Friday. All the men had been shot.

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