Iraqi Cleric's Movement Re-Energized (al Sadr)

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Followers of radical Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are trying to re-energize support for him in the movement's stronghold in Baghdad's Sadr City by reaching out to its 2 million mainly Shiite residents with relief work, protection and spiritual counseling.


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Leaders of the reinvigorated movement may choose to abandon negotiations to join the all-Shiite electoral ticket sponsored by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric.

Relations between al-Sistani and al-Sadr are tense. The elderly al-Sistani, along with other senior clerics in the holy city of Najaf, have kept the young anti-American al-Sadr at an arm's length.

Al-Sistani's bid to compile a Shiite ticket includes such sworn enemies of al-Sadr as the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the Dawa party — Iraq's two largest Shiite parties.

more:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20041128/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_sadrist_revival

Iraq.

Al Sistani is marginalizing himself (I think) by keeping silent while Iraqis were dying in Falluja. Al Sadr may be able to take some of his support because of that.