Sadr 'on short visit to Iran': aide to Iraqi PM (a routine trip) - AFP

[Eugene]

Sadr 'on short visit to Iran': aide to Iraqi PM

48 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is in Iran but will be back
in Iraq soon, an aide to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said, confirming a
disputed claim by the US military.

"According to my information he is in Iran on a short visit," said Sami al-Askari,
a member of parliament and a political adviser to Maliki. "He has visited Iran many
times. It is normal."

-snip-

The official said Sadr has "an official invitation" to visit Iran.

Asked why the Americans would have made a point of revealing Sadr's visit, Askari
said: "They tried to put it in the wrong context. Why should they try to provoke the
Sadrists? Sometimes wisdom quits the mind of the Americans."

On Wednesday, US military spokesman Major General William Caldwell confirmed media
reports that the firebrand cleric had gone to Tehran, igniting rumours that he had
fled an impending crackdown on his Mahdi Army militia.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070215/wl_afp/iraqunrestsadrusiran_070215085519