Acts of detentions, kidnapping continue in Iraq

One official in the Iraqi police in Najaf confirmed news on the detention of one of Muqtada al-Sader main aides.

The source, which confirmed the detention of al-Sader aide explained also said that other four of al-Sader supporters were detained and that the detention operations took place in al-Saad quarters near the 1920 revolution in the downtown of Najaf." He gave no further details.

Meantime a group calling itself al-Ghadab al-Elahi ( God's anger) group said that it kidnapped Lt. Gen. Hassan Salah al-Lami, the brother in law of the Iraqi minister of defense Hazem al-Shalan and the director of the military affairs in the ministry in addition to one of his relatives.

In a video tape screened by al-Jazeera TV, the kidnappers called for halting the military operations in Najaf and releasing Sheikh Ali Smeisem who was arrested by the Iraqi police on Wednesday, yesterday.