Al-Sader tells BBC that resisting occupation in Iraq is legitimate
Iraq, Politics, 7/18/2005

The Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader said that resisting occupation in Iraq is legitimate, calling on the Iraqis to maintain self-control and to avoid being involved in the "western schemes or occupation, and their acts of provocation."

In an interview with the BBC, al-Sader explained that he did call upon Iraqis to exercise restraint with US troops. And he said he would not interfere with the democratic process, saying "Whoever wants to take part, let him do so," the BBC reported.

"Resistance is legitimate at all levels be it religious, intellectual and so on...The first person who would acknowledge this is the so-called American President Bush who said 'if my country is occupied, I will fight'" Sadr BBC reported said today.

This interview comes at the background of the campaign launched by al-Sader last week to collect the signatures from one million Iraqis calling for the evacuation of foreign forces led by the USA from Iraq.

Al-Sader linked between the existence of the occupation and the resulting problems at the internal level especially the civil war. He stressed he will not take part in the ongoing formulation of the Iraqi constitution which may be concluded shortly. He told the BBC "I say that our constitution is the Koran and the Sunnah and I refuse any political role while the occupation is present," but added that he would not stop any others participating.

Previous Stories:
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  Guardian: 60 Iraqis day from explosion   (7/16/2005)
  Iraqi forces assume greater solo responsibilities, US general says   (7/16/2005)

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