Supporters of radical Shiite cleric arrested in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Jan 26 (AFP) - US and Iraqi forces have arrested at least 19 supporters of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr in Baghdad, the US army said.
US forces and Iraqi soldiers arrested 19 suspected insurgents in Sadr's Baghdad slum bastion, Sadr City, the military said.
Naim al-Qaabi, an official in the Sadr movement, accused US and Iraqi forces of tearing Korans during the operation and arresting 21 Sadr supporters.
The Iraqi government issued a statement saying it was investigating the incident.
Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and coalition forces clashed sporadically across central and southern Iraq between last April and October when Sadr agreed to disarm his militia across the country.
The young cleric's movement has supporters running in Sunday's elections.

01/26/2005 20:02 GMT - AFP