An arrest warrant was issued for Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shiite cleric who allegedly organized and encouraged this weekend's anti-coalition uprisings in Iraq.
Q&A FACTSHEET: Who is Muqtada al-Sadr?
He is a young, fiercely anti-U.S. Shiite cleric making a bid for power in Iraq. He poses a formidable challenge to both the traditional Shiite religious hierarchy and the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). Sadr has called his armed followers, who fought coalition forces in several Iraqi cities over the weekend, "the enemy of the occupation" and has condemned Iraqis who cooperate with the coalition. While his movement involves only a small percentage of Iraq's Shiites, it appears to be gaining momentum and popularity, and experts warn that the threat Sadr represents is serious.
For answers to these questions, go to: http://www.cfr.org/background/background_iraq_alsadr.php
What caused the current unrest?
What is Sadr's background?
Who does he oppose in the Shiite hierarchy?
Does he support violence?
Does he command an armed force?
What is his base of support?
How have U.S. forces reacted to Sadr?
What actions have his supporters taken to challenge U.S. authority?
ANSWERS: http://www.cfr.org/background/background_iraq_alsadr.php