Thousands of Iraqi Shiites mount anti-US protest

The militiamen, belonging to incendiary young cleric Moqtada Sadr's Mehdi Army, marched in military formation as US troops hovered on the perimeter of the Ali al-Bayaa mosque in western Baghdad.

More than 4,000 Iraqis demonstrated in the al-Bayaa neighborhood the previous day, accusing the Americans of arresting Shiite clerics Moayad Kazrajy and Jaleel al-Shumari, who are considered followers of Sadr, a vehement foe of the US presence in Iraq.

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"Today we hold banners, tomorrow we pick up our guns," the crowd shouted on Tuesday, as they demonstrated in front of US forces by the mosque.