Sadr Movement Warns of Enemies’ Disintegration Plots against Iraq

A spokesman of the Sadr Movement warned on Sunday that certain groups are seeking to disintegrate Iraq through provocative acts.

“Raising Saddam’s pictures and the old Iraqi flags during the rallies in al-Anbar province are in line with the attempts made to divide and disintegrate Iraq,” Salah al-Abidi told FNA.

He said the demonstrations in al-Anbar were meant to be a quest for human rights, but certain sides intruded in pursuit of their ominous goals and sought to divert people’s demands through their provocative actions.

The protesters in al-Anbar province have blocked off the key trade highway since December 23, following the arrest of Iraqi Finance Minister Rafia Issawi’s bodyguards on terrorism charges.

The demonstrators allege that the arrests were made on sectarian grounds and demand the release of the detainees.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, however, says the bodyguards were arrested following an independent judicial inquiry based on the anti-terrorism law.

Maliki on Wednesday called upon Anbar protesters to end their demonstrations that have led to several days of blockage of a major road in the Western province of Anbar connecting Iraq to Syria and Jordan.

The Iraqi premier said the protesters should “end their strike before the state intervenes to end it.” “I warn you against continuing (blocking the highway), because this is against the Iraqi constitution. We have been very patient with you,” Almanar quoted Maliki as saying.