Psyche, Science, and Society

2004 US plot to assassinate al-Sadr revealed

May 21st, 2007

Patrick Cockburn in the Independent reports an August 2004 plot by the US to use “negotiations” to lure Muqtada al-Sadr to a house where he could be assassinated:

Dr Rubai’e had gone to Najaf in August 2004 to try to mediate an end to the fighting. He met Mr Sadr who agreed to a set of conditions to end the crisis. “He actually signed the agreement with his own handwriting,” said Dr Rubai’e. “He wanted the inner Najaf, the old city, around the shrine to be treated like the Vatican.”

Having returned to Baghdad to show the draft document to Iyad Allawi, who was prime minister at the time, Dr Rubai’e went back to Najaf to make a final agreement with Mr Sadr.

It was agreed that the last meeting would take place in the house in Najaf of Muqtada’s father Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr who had been murdered by Saddam’s gunmen with two of his sons five years before. Dr Rubai’e and other mediators started for the house. As they did so they saw the US Marines open up an intense bombardment of the house and US Special Forces also heading for it. But the attack was a few minutes premature. Mr Sadr was not yet in the house and managed to escape.

Noticed that al-Sadr was wiling to resolve the August 2004 conflict, but the United States had no intention of making a deal with an Iraqi leader who had actual support in Iraq.

Entry Filed under: Iraq, Middle East