australians must now go

Australians must go: Shiite official
April 5, 2004

THE chief lieutenant of radical Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr today called for Australia to withdraw from Iraq.

Members of the militia loyal to the radical cleric today attempted to take control of police stations and government buildings in Sadr City, a poor neighbourhood of mainly Shiites on the eastern outskirts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Seven US soldiers were killed and at least 24 wounded in the fighting that followed.

The chief lieutenant of Sadr, Imam Amer al Hussani, said the coalition forces should immediately withdraw and return Iraq to local control.

"The Saddam regime (is) gone and ... we know how to control our country," he told ABC radio through an interpreter.

"To be here as occupiers, they are not welcome here."

Imam al Hussani also had a message for Prime Minister John Howard.

"We hope that Australia will follow Spain in their decision to withdraw from Iraq," he said.

"But we should also say that we thank very much Australia for helping us and, through your TV, we want to tell the Australian prime minister that thank-you for your help, but please withdraw from Iraq."

AAP