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December 3, 2008 1:09:37 PM CST


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cleric news stories

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Sadr Cultivates Respect, Image to Reflect Power

Militia chief moves toward mainstream, hones clerical chops

(Newser) - Muqtada al-Sadr aims to shed his reputation as a dim-witted thug and become a respected Iraqi cleric like his father, the Washington Post reports, and has even spent the past year studying in Iran. Sadr, then nicknamed "Muqtada Atari" for his love of video games, was 25 when the 1999 assassination of his father left him head of Iraq's largest Shiite opposition group. More »

More about:  Iraq Moqtada al-Sadr Mahdi Army Sadr City Sadrists Shiite cleric cleric

 Iranian Lawman Blasts Barbie 

Top prosecutor calls for ban on Western toy imports

(Newser) - Barbie, Batman, and Harry Potter have no place in the Islamic Republic of Iran, says the nation's top prosecutor. He warned of the "social danger" that toys and other Western cultural imports pose to his country and has called for a ban, the BBC reports. Barbie is a big seller in Iran, and the country's little girls haven't been as keen on the more modestly dressed, Iranian-made alternative. More »

More about:  Iran toys Barbie cleric Islamic dress code

Updated

Al-Sadr Orders His Militia Off Streets of Basra

He offers weakened Maliki a truce deal as violence continues

(Newser) - Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his fighters to leave the streets of Basra and other cities, reports the BBC, in an effort to end clashes with security forces. “Anyone carrying a weapon and targeting government institutions will not be one of us,” Sadr said, but minutes after his statement was released, militia shells hit Basra’s palace, and attacks on the Green Zone persisted throughout the day. More »

More about:  Iraq Iraq war Baghdad Moqtada al-Sadr Iraq government Basra ceasefire Shia cleric Shia militia

Pakistani Cleric Calls Ceasefire

Dozens killed in clashes with government troops, helicopters

(Newser) - Supporters of an extremist cleric who had declared a jihad against Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire today after fierce fighting this weekend claimed between 50 and 60 of their number, Al Jazeera reports. Pakistan had sent 2,500 paramilitary troops to Swat to head off Maulana Fazlullah, who wants to establish a Taliban-style state governed by Islamic law. More »

More about:  Pakistan Taliban jihad militant Islamic Sharia law cleric Swat Maulana Fazlullah

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