Baghdad, Apr 22: Hundreds of Iraqi Shiites staged a second day of angry demonstrations in the capital today, complaining that a prominent 'mullah' and people travelling with him were arrested by US forces. About 400 Shiites gathered outside the Palestine Hotel to protest the alleged detention of Sheikh Mohammed Fartusi, although US officials said they had no word of his arrest. No violence was reported. About 5,000 fist-shaking people turned up at the same spot yesterday to rail against the Americans. A senior Shiite leader, Sheikh Hussein al-Assadi, said they had no idea of Fartusi's whereabouts but issued a warning to US forces occupying the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein nearly two weeks ago. "We want to tell America, which claims it came here to protect freedom, that if it does not do so, it will have to deal with the Iraqi people," he said.

A statement circulated by the protestors yesterday vehemently denounced Fartusi's alleged arrest, as well as that of Sheikhs Abdul Rahm an Shwili and Abdel Rahman Fetlawi and three travelling companions.

It charged that it "recalled the methods of the tyrant Saddam Hussein and his gang," and warned of "serious consequences."

The Shiites said US forces had arrested the six at al-Dura checkpoint, 25 kms south of Baghdad, as they were returning from Karbala, where hundreds of thousands of Shiites gathered today for the climax of a massive pilgrimage.

Bureau Report