Iraqi Shi'ite men shout slogans during a gathering in Baghdad yesterday, to mark the third anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Muhammad Baqr al-Hakim.
BAGHDAD (Reuters):
Thousands of Shi'ite civilians charged with guarding neighbourhoods in Iraq marched through Baghdad yesterday in a show of force likely to stir passions in a country ravaged by sectarian violence.
Young men in civilian uniforms and headbands, all members of what is known as the popular committees, chanted as a speaker called on them to crush 'terrorists' and loyalists of ousted President Saddam Hussein leading a Sunni Arab insurgency against the Shi'ite-led government.
"Step on terrorism," he said.
The crowd included members of the Badr Organisation, one of the armed Shi'ite groups Sunni Arabs accuse of running militia death squads, a charge they deny.
"We have to benefit from this wide popular base and the state and Iraqi people should form these popular regional committees from the best of our young men to face terrorism," Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, one of Iraq's most powerful Shi'ite leaders, told a crowd. "They will defend people of districts; Sunnis, Shi'ites, Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. They do not differentiate between anybody. They will provide support for the official security apparatus."
