Loyalists of Rebel Cleric Flex Muscle
He boycotted elections and rejects the validity of the government. For months, he’s stayed behind the scenes, allowing others to deliver his Friday sermons and rarely appearing in public. Nevertheless, Muqtada Sadr, an anti-American Shiite Muslim cleric, is emerging as a big winner in the Jan. 30 vote, thanks to some of his followers who won seats in the National Assembly with different slates and are forging their own alliance. Full Story