Abdul Aziz Al Hakim Resigns From

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim Resigns from Interim Governing Council

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and a member of the Interim Governing Council, is set to suspend his membership in the IGC. He is the second member to resign, at least provisionally. Shiite cleric Muhammad Bahr al-Ulum resigned in the wake of the Aug. 29 car bombing in Najaf, which killed the brother of Abdul Aziz, Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim. Abdul Aziz is now calling for an immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The Badr Corps paramilitary of Abdul Aziz was patrolling openly in Najaf until recently, and an American demand that they surrender their weapons has produced friction. It was announced that the Shiite militias will be folded into the new national Iraqi army and police. (- al-Hayat) See

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