Iraqis welcome exiled cleric home

Ayatollah Hakim spent 23 years in exile

Thousands of Shia Muslims have welcomed the return of Iraqi opposition leader Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim to the holy city of Najaf, his birthplace.

Crowds of men of all ages, waving banners and portraits of Ayatollah Hakim, greeted the convoy of white four-wheel drives carrying the cleric as it rolled towards the centre of Najaf and the shrine of Imam Ali.

Sheep were slaughtered at several points along the route amid scenes which have become familiar during the cleric's three-day tour of southern Iraq since he returned from 23 years of exile in Iran.

In a speech at the shrine Ayatollah Hakim said post-war Iraq should be based "firstly on Islam, which achieves independence for us, and secondly, on free elections, which will lead to the formation of a government".

The 66-year-old cleric, who heads the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), pledged that "we will not take up arms against anybody to reach our objectives".

The crowd chanted "No, no America, no, no Saddam" and "yes, yes Islam".

The BBC's Barbara Plett says the cleric's return may strengthen demands for a greater Shia role in the future government, and fuel the debate about what kind of state it will be.

But she adds that while many of Iraq's majority Shia community want a bigger role for Islam, they do not necessarily desire Iranian-style religious rule, and they are wary of Ayatollah Hakim because of his close ties with Iran.

Najaf is the third holiest city for Shia Muslims after Mecca and Medina. They regard Imam Ali as the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed.

New administrator

Who makes up the interim government will be largely down to the new US administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, who arrived in Baghdad on Monday.

Iraq's Shia holy cities

His appointment is part of a shake-up of the American post-war team in the country - Mr Bremer outranks retired US Army General Jay Garner, who had previously been the most senior US civilian administrator.

Ayatollah Hakim has been outspoken since his return to his homeland.

He has called for a modern Islamic state that rejects religious extremism and is independent of foreign powers, suggesting he may lead demands for an end to the presence of the occupation forces.

The ayatollah's brother and number two in the Sciri, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, sought to ease any concerns in Washington that the return of the ayatollah may bring with it a tide of anti-Americanism.

"He believes in fundamental freedoms, clearing Iraq of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, establishing good relations with our neighbours and that the government must respect Islam," he told the French news agency AFP.

"We are still having discussions with the United States and putting forward our proposals. We cannot judge their policies yet, we have to wait."