Cairo, Sept 04: The US-led coalition could be behind "some terror acts" perpetrated in Iraq in order to "spread chaos" to justify occupation, anti-US firebrand Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr charged in press comments today. "It may be that some terror acts that happened in Iraq could have come from coalition forces," he said in an interview with Egyptian state-owned newspaper al-Ahram.
"Because if security is established in Iraq, occupation (forces) would have to leave. America is the first to profit from instability, and it is spreading terror and chaos to remain," he said.
But he added that he would not go as far as declaring holy war, or jihad, against the coalition because it has stronger forces, and said Iraqis should start with "peaceful resistance".
"Declaring jihad would be harmful because the forces of the two are not even. Issuing such a declaration now could mean that not one Shiite or Muslim would remain in Iraq."
He charged the United States of seeking to divide the Shiites who make up a majority in Iraq "to prevent them from having a clear position".
"America is confronting them (the Shiites) with things akin to weapons, such as sedition, lies and making problems to divide their leaders," he said.

Bureau Report