Sunni Leaders in Iraq Threatened

Sheih Efan weeps over the coffin of Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, founder of Anbar Awakening, in Iraq's Anbar province in the provincial capital of Ramadi, 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad, Friday, Sept. 14, 2007. The most prominent figure in a revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaida in Iraq was killed Thursday in an explosion near his home in Anbar province. (AP Photo) (AP)

"We as tribesmen will act against the al-Qaida, and those standing behind it who do not want us to put an end to it," Ali Hatem al-Suleiman said.

Still, the al-Qaida threats and the assassination of Abu Risha, one of the best protected tribal figures in Iraq, could cause some tribal leaders in other Sunni provinces to reconsider plans to stand up against the terror movement.

With U.S. and Iraqi overtures to the Sunnis under threat, the government faced a deepening political crisis with the announcement that al-Sadr's followers were withdrawing from the Shiite alliance in parliament. Al-Sadr's followers hold 30 of the 275 parliament seats.

The announcement, made to reporters in Najaf, means the Shiite-led government can count on the support of only 108 parliament members _ 30 short of a majority. However, it could probably win the backing of the 30 independent Shiite parliamentarians, as well as some minor parties.

Still, the decision by al-Sadr's followers will complicate further U.S.-backed efforts to win parliamentary approval of power-sharing legislation, including the oil bill and an easing of curbs that prevent former Saddam Hussein supporters from holding government jobs.

Al-Sadr's decision will also sharpen the power struggle among armed Shiite groups in the south, which includes major Shiite religious shrines and much of the country's vast oil resources.

The Sadrists had been threatening to bolt the Shiite alliance for several days. But tensions rose after arrest warrants were issued against Sadrist officials in the holy city of Karbala in connection with last month's Shiite factional fighting there.

The warrants, which were made public Saturday, angered the Sadrists, who said the government was provoking them despite recent gestures by al-Sadr, including a six-month halt to military operations by his Mahdi Army militia.

In the northern city of Mosul, authorities ordered all vehicles off the streets from late Saturday until sunrise Monday to enable security forces to search for explosives.

The ban was ordered after the Iraqi military announced it had found six booby-trapped cars and a would-be suicide bomber in the city Saturday.