(AFP) – Nov 8, 2007

KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) — Police on Thursday accused the Mahdi Army militia of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr of carrying out a four-year killing spree in Iraq's central shrine city of Karbala which left hundreds dead.

The killings and other gross human rights violations were carried out by the militiamen in their attempt to impose Sharia law on the people of Karbala, the police directorate of Karbala province said in a statement.

Liwa Sumaysim, head of the political bureau in the Sadr movement based in the city of Najaf near Karbala, denied the police claims, saying they were politically motivated and demanded that police provide evidence.

"The Mahdi Army murdered and tortured and kidnapped people under Sharia law," the statement said. "They are the cause of the deaths of hundreds of people. They also committed numerous violations of human rights in Karbala."

The statement marks the first time the Iraqi authorities have directly accused Iraq's most powerful Shiite militia of carrying out killings.

Karbala, home to some of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines, was the scene of a slaughter in August when suspected Mahdi Army militiamen clashed with police and turned a major pilgrimage into a bloodbath which killed 52 people.

Just days later, Sadr announced a six-month suspension of the activities of his militia.

"Gunmen and outlawed armed groups represented by the Mahdi Army militia caused chaos and confusion in (Karbala) province and perpetrated many human rights violations," the police statement said.

"This militia tried to impose a system of Sharia law on Karbala citizens. They caused chaos in the town through corruption and harsh laws. They tried through different means to undermine the state authority and the law to control everything about people's lives."

Karbala provincial police chief Brigadier General Raed Shakir gave reporters a year by year tally of what he said were killings carried out by the militia -- in all 606 civilians, 69 of them women, and 62 policemen.

"In 2004, 127 men and five women (civilians) and six police officers and 24 policemen were killed," Shakir said.

"They carried out 13 robberies and 23 abduction operations and planted five roadside bombs."

The following year, he said, 158 men and 25 women were killed and eight civilians were kidnapped. The militia carried out seven robberies and planted 11 roadside bombs.

"In 2006, 160 men and 17 women were killed. Three police officers and one policeman were killed. There were nine robberies and 49 abduction operations. Twenty-four roadside bombs were planted."

So far this year, the police chief said, 92 men and 22 women have been killed by the militia. Three police officers and 25 policemen have been killed.

"The Mahdi Army carried out 15 robberies and 53 abduction operations. They planted 11 roadside bombs."

The police statement and comments appear to have been prompted by accusations by the Mahdi Army that police in Karbala two weeks ago shot dead two children of militiamen.

The statement said in fact the children had been killed because the militiamen had used them as human shields.

An angry Sumaysim dismissed the police claims outright.

"We demand that the chief of police of Karbala present physical evidence to prove what he said and confirm the involvement of Jaish al-Mahdi (the Mahdi Army) in these alleged crimes," he told AFP.

"We are wondering why police did not speak about these crimes since 2004 -- and why now? We think these false accusations are politically motivated. It has nothing to do with justice, nor with implementing the law as the police are claiming."

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