Baghdad - The Iraqi ministry of interior issued a warrant for the arrest of Sheikh Harith al-Dhari, the leading Sunni religious scholar in the country, reported Arabic news channels Friday.
The Muslim Scholars Association in Iraq, which is headed by al- Dhari as its secretary general, described the warrant, issued late Thursday night, as an insult from government officials which the association would not deal with.
The ministry of interior accused the Sheikh who is not in Iraq at the present time of inciting violence.
Meanwhile the Arabic news station al-Arabiya reported Friday that nine out of fourteen civilian contractors who were kidnapped south of Basra were released.
The report is as yet unconfirmed.
The kidnapped contractors who were on their way from Kuwait to Iraq include four Americans and an Austrian.
The Kuwaiti-based Crescent Security Group convoy was attacked Thursday when it stopped at what looked like an Iraqi police checkpoint.