Sadr office warns Iraq govt over Kerbala probe

BAGHDAD, Sept 2 (Reuters) Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's office today demanded the Iraqi government conduct a fair investigation into clashes in the city of Kerbala last week, warning of unspecified ''decisions'' if it did not.

The comments raise questions about the powerful movement's commitment to an order from Sadr to suspend armed action by his feared Mehdi Army militia for up to six months in the wake of the violence.

Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a news conference he had set up an independent committee to probe the clashes.

''We are trying our best to save the blood of Muslims to stem the strife,'' said the statement from Sadr's office.

''We warn the Iraqi government ... that if they do not make a fair, neutral and fast investigation the Sadr office will have to take decisions beyond the government's expectations.'' A aide to the fiery anti-American cleric declined to elaborate on what that might mean.

The statement, from Sadr's head office in the holy city of Najaf, also accused security forces of detaining more than 200 Sadr supporters following the clashes.

''This reminds us of Saddam's style,'' the statement said, referring to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who persecuted Iraq's majority Shi'ite community.

Iraq's government has said 72 people had been detained, adding that Sadr's followers were not being targeted.

The gunbattles that killed up to 52 people in Kerbala early last week appeared to pit followers of Sadr and his Mehdi Army against the rival Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), whose armed wing controls police in much of the south.

Maliki has blamed ''outlawed armed criminal gangs from the remnants of the buried Saddam regime'' for the violence.

His office late last week said the Sadr movement was ''considered one of basic political blocs in Iraq and will remain an active and a real partner in the political process''.

The Sadrist statement called that comment ''just ink on a pen''.

Arrests and raids by American forces were continuing, the Sadr office statement added.

The US military yesterday welcomed the suspension order and said it hoped security forces could now focus more on fighting Sunni Islamist al Qaeda.

Sadr's aides have said the order was designed to allow Sadr to weed out rogue elements from the militia.

REUTERS PDT PM1724