Muqtada al-Sadr arrives in Najaf

NAJAF / IraqiNews.com: Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to Najaf coming from Iran, according to a source from the political bureau of the Sadrist bloc. The source gave no further details regarding the visit. Al-Sadr had recommended conducting a one week referendum in all provinces of Iraq including Kurdistan on February 28. In a statement read out by Al Sadr Front senior official Hazem Al Aaraji, Al Sadr explained that the referendum consists of asking people questions on their requirements of daily services. The referendum inquires about the possibility for the people to carry out peaceful demonstrations without seizing public money in case the government fails to meet their demands within six months. SH (TP) 988