Shi’ite cleric threatens to end Mahdi army ceasefire

SHI’ITE cleric Muqtada al-Sadr threatened yesterday to lift a seven month freeze on his Mahdi army militia if the Iraqi government does not halt attacks on his followers or set a timetable for a US withdrawal.

The statement came hours before the top two US officials in Iraq — General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker — planned to brief Congress on the situation in Iraq and prospects for withdrawing American troops.

“I call on the Iraqi government, if it exists, to work for the protection of the Iraqi people, stop the bloodshed and the abuse of its honour,” said al-Sadr. “If the public interest dictates the lifting of the freeze to achieve our goals, beliefs, religion, principles and patriotism we shall do that later.”