Where is Iraqi Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr?

Moqtada al-Sadr: Mr Sadr, who is about 36, is the son of a revered Ayatollah, Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr. Photo: REUTERS

Iraqi Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr Appears In Public For First Time In Two Years -- The Telegraph

Moqtada al-Sadr, one of the most radical figures in Iraqi politics, made his first public appearance for two years when he paid a surprise visit to Turkey.

Mr Sadr, a Shia extremist who leads the Mahdi Army militia, is believed to have spent the last two years in Iran. In 2004, his gunmen began an uprising against American troops in Baghdad and British forces in the Shia heartland of southern Iraq and Mr Sadr briefly became the leading opponent of the foreign occupation.

But his militia suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Iraq's new army last year and Mr Sadr's followers have since turned to mainstream politics.

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My Comment: His Mahdi death squads are responsible for the murder of hundreds if not thousands of Sunni and Shiite opponents. And while this may have helped him in consolidating his position within the Shiite community, it also gave him many enemies who would not hesitate to have him killed.

Arab culture is very big on revenge .... and I am sure that he knows that it is only a matter of time before succeeds in getting that hefty bounty which is on his head.