SIIC, Daawa Party leaders take up security

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Leaders of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) and the Islamic Daawa Party discussed recent developments on the political and security tracks during a meeting attended by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Yesterday evening, leaders of the council and the party met to discuss political and security issues and bilateral relations, according to a statement published on the SIIC’s official web site. The statement did not provide further details. The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), (previously known as Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI)), is an Iraqi political party. Its political support comes from the country’s Shiite Muslim community. Prior to his assassination in August 2003, the council was led by Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakeem; its current leader is the ayatollah’s brother, Abdelaziz al-Hakeem. In light of its gains in both elections and government appointments, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council is one of Iraq’s most powerful political parties and the largest party in the Iraqi Council of Representatives. Both the SIIC and the Daawa Party are components of the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), the largest political bloc with 83 seats in the 275-member Parliament. SS (S) 1