The following are translations of comments posted in Arabic at the BBC website regarding Sadr.
From BBCArabic.com: I call on the whole world to come to Najaf to bear witness. The BBC should not call these people the Mehdi Army. They are unworthy of this holy name. They kill children because they shake hands with the American “infidels”. How can they claim to be religious?
Benna, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: People here should know that all Najafis totally reject Moqtada Sadr. His militia’s alleged defence of the city is just a cover-up for its members’ reckless acts. They are desecrating the city’s Holy Shrines and treat the local population exactly like Saddam’s henchmen use to.
Jasim Al Zubaydi, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: I am a resident of Najaf. I saw outsider gunmen – some of them foreign – sneaking into the city. Their intention is to threaten its peace and security under the cover of the Mehdi Army. Iraq has become a battlefield for settling scores. Some claim Islam, and they couldn’t be farther from it. There is also involvement by intelligence of neighbouring countries, and farther field.
Najaf Resident, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: I am from Najaf and I did see a number of Iranians fighting there. A friend of mine saw lots of Iranian weapons in the hands of Al Sadr followers.
Haidar Mohammed, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: Large scale arrests of Al Mahdi Army took place in the city of Al Samawa. This was to prevent an outbreak of violence in this city, 80 km from Al Najaf, after militiamen from Mahdi Army attacked an Iraqi patrol and burned two police cars, wounding several policemen. Early this morning, we heard explosions in the Japanese base near Samawa, probably by mortar shells.
Ahmed Al Samawi, Samawa, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: I am a resident of the city of Najaf. Iraqis are deliberately killed by the hands of other Iraqis in a conflict that marginalises the ordinary people. Presuming they were outlaws, are there thousands of outlaws out there? I don’t think Iran is involved in all this, knowing that the Sadr movement was always at odds with the Iranian government. Iyad Allawi started a sedition that will not stop even if Moqtada Al Sadr and all his followers are killed in Najaf because the Sadr Movement is counted by the millions.
Abrar Al Moussawi, Al Najaf City, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: I ask America and Europe and all those who advocate democracy, freedom and free speech, how can a country allow itself to invade another country, kill its people and loot its wealth. If they really wanted to uproot the Baathists or the Sadr Movement, they have at their disposal professional killers who can assassinate those without harming the innocents. Their policy is therefore: eradicate everyone.
Ali Al Ghawri, Al Najaf, Iraq
Is this the election campaign? It is scary to think that Sadr could become the leader of the country. He exploits the situation in Iraq to increase his power while thousands of his impoverished followers die needlessly.
Abdul Sadek, Baghdad
From BBCArabic.com: I am writing to you from Najaf. Moqtada Sadr is trying to take full control of the city, as a stepping stone to expand his influence all over the Shia Islamic world. The ‘Sadr Movement’ men are armed gangs who have turned religious schools into training camps and arms storages. They have also instated tribunals ordering torture against civilians despite the fact that Moqtada doesn’t have the authority to issue religious decrees according to Jaafari jurisprudence.
Ali Abdul Majid, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: What does Moqtada want? If it is power, he has the right to, but not through fighting. He can establish a party and run for local elections. We refuse to see him forced upon us by his armed gangs.
Zayd, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: The real patriots are the ones who fight American occupation. I don’t agree with those who call Moqtada Sadr a terrorist.
Nawfal Kamal Abbas, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: The people of Najaf didn’t resent Moqtada Sadr at first, but they soon realised he was following instructions coming from countries that probably didn’t want to end up like Iraq. Moqtada started his latest move as soon as he came back from Iran. He proved to be inexperienced and lacking political shrewdness. I hope he will elude the traps that have been set for him .
Iraqi, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: What exactly is the ‘Sadr Movement’? Some would link it with the late Mohamad Sadek Al Sadr, while others identify it with his son Moqtada. None of this is true. This concept was instituted by the reformist Sheikh Mohammad Baker Al Sadr who served the nation and worked hard for its welfare. It was later highjacked by Moqtada and his followers.
Abu Mohammad Ali Al-Najafi, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: Can the ones who killed many Iraqis and forced an embargo upon us for more than ten years be considered liberators? How can they claim they are here to help us after they killed our loved ones? Resistance and martyrdom are thus a duty.
Ahmed Al Iraqi, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: Every household in Iraq has lost one of its members to Saddam’s dictatorship. Some were executed, other incarcerated or fled the country. Now Moqtada is finishing the job..
Ali Al Deek, Najaf, Iraq
From BBCArabic.com: I hold Moqtada and his men responsible for the destruction of the city of Najaf. They have nothing but contempt for this city and its people. Some of them are baathists or former members of Saddam’s intelligence and security apparatuses.
Mohammad Al Najafi, Najaf, Iraq