Najaf's crisis witnesses a detente; Italian journalist executed

At a time when fighting stopped in Najaf between the forces of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader and the American forces, the group calling itself "the Islamic army in Iraq" executed its Italian hostage, journalist Onzo Baldony, implementing thereby its threats to kill him within 48 hours, unless Italy withdrew its forces from Iraq.

The video tape screened by al-Jazeera TV confirmed the killing of the journalists. While the Italian government confirmed the killing of its citizen, this act was described by the prime minister Sylvio Berleskony as a "brutal action" showing his country's determination to take part in the course of the multi-national forces in Iraq.

Meantime, the crisis in Najaf witnessed a great detente after the interim Iraqi government agreed to an agreement finalized by the Shiite authority Ali al-Seistani with Muqtada al-Sader to end the fighting.

Iraq's minister of state Qasem Dawoud who announced the approval said that his government will not go after al-Sader who will remain free, noting that the American forces will withdraw from Najaf, after the Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi will ask for that.

Dawoud stressed that the Iraqi citizens and visitors of Imam Ali Shrine can visit al-Haidari courtyard, noting that his government formed a committee with a mission to limit damages inflected on the city in preparation to rebuild it.

The initiative is based on dismantling weapons from Najaf and Koufa cities, the deportation of all armed elements and the Iraqi policy to only assume the responsibility of security and order and the withdrawal of the American forces from the two cities.

Al-Seistani's initiative coincide with a field escalation by the killing of 74 persons and wounding of other 376 at least in the operation of bombarding a mosque in al-Koufa and opening fire at demonstrators in Najaf and Koufa, al-Dewaneyah and al-Hella, while responding with al-Seisani's call to head for Najaf.

Al-Sader supporters accused the American forces of bombarding Koufa mosque where al-Sader often delivers his Friday's sermons. But an American military spokesman denied his army to have links to that.

Ten persons of al-Seistani followers were also killed and other 38 injured in fire launching at a crowd of Iraqis who tried to enter the old town with al-Seistani's procession. Citizens accused the Iraqi national guards of opening fire at the demonstrators.