U.S. brands Iraqi cleric 'outlaw'

BAGHDAD, April 5 (UPI) -- U.S. officials in Iraq have branded a radical Shiite cleric an "outlaw" after his followers clashed with U.S. troops across Iraq, killing scores of people.

Paul Bremer" class="tpstyle">L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, used strong language to imply the impending arrest of Moqtada al-Sadr for using his militia to oppose United States and coalition troops. Scores of people were killed and hundreds of others were wounded in Baghdad, Najaf, Amarrah, Nasariya, and Basra.

Sadr's militia also seized a government building in the city of Basra and continue to occupy it Monday.

"We have a difficult security situation, said Bremer. "We have a group under Moqtada al-Sadr that has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials.

"Effectively he is attempting to establish his authority in the place of the legitimate authority. We will not tolerate this," added Bremer. "We will reassert the law and order which the Iraqi people expect."