Cleric warns of civil war

BAGHDAD, March 9 (UPI) -- A top Shiite cleric is warning of a possible civil war because of a clause included in the interim constitution that allows Kurdish autonomy.

Ayatollah Mohammed Taqi al-Muddaresi said in a statement the U.S. intentionally allowed the Kurdish clause to offset the Iraqi Shiite's numerical superiority.

"The clause in the transitional law relating to federalism is tantamount to a time bomb which could cause a civil war in Iraq," he said.