A prominent Shiite cleric was arrested overnight by American troops in the town of Baquba northwest of the capital Baghdad, according to the man's son.
US soldiers arrested at midnight Ali Abdul Karim al-Madani, aged 48, the highest-level Shiite cleric in the Dyala region who had previously been jailed from July 2 to 4, his son Hasan Abdul Halim al-Madani told AFP on Sunday.
Madani was led away by thirty US soldiers, who came in five Humvee vehicles, backed up by two tanks and a transport truck.
Meanwhile, twelve others were arrested along with him, including two bodyguards, the cleric's nephew Haider Abdul Halim told the news agency.
In the meantime, in central Baquba, US soldiers were fired on early Sunday by two members of ousted leader Saddam Hussein's Fedayeen paramilitary group from their car, said Ibrahim Ali, 40, a security guard with the occupation forces.
The pair then managed to flee their vehicle after the soldiers fired back and blood stains were found on the car's front seat, he said. (Albawaba.com)
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