Iraqis arrive to mass prayer in cleric’s show of power

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Tens of thousands of Iraqis have gathered in Baghdad to perform a mass prayer called for by an influential Shiite cleric. Followers of Moqtada al-Sadr arrived to the capital Friday from across the country filling up Sadr City’s main thoroughfare. The event is expected to be among the largest gatherings of al-Sadr’s followers since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. It also carries a message to al-Sadr’s political rivals of his ability to mobilize the Iraqi street and de-stablize the country. Al-Sadr, who won the most seats in the October national elections, withdrew from the government formation last month.