Anti-U.S. cleric’s aides deny he fled
The mystery over the whereabouts of Muqtada al-Sadr deepened Wednesday with the U.S. military spokesman saying the Shiite militia leader had fled to Iran, his supporters insisting he was still in Iraq — and no sign of the anti-American cleric himself. A senior U.S. official said Tuesday in Washington that al-Sadr left Iraq for Iran ahead of the security crackdown in Baghdad. That raised concern over al-Sadr’s ability to direct his militia, which could fragment into uncontrollable gangs in the absence of its leader. Full Story