Mahdi Army refuses to disarm

BAGHDAD, April 17 (UPI) -- An official with the Sadrist Movement of Moqtada Sadr said Thursday the Mahdi Army won't turn its weapons over to the Iraqi government.

Basem al-Marwani told al-Hayat newspaper in London the Mahdi Army would not lay down its weapons unless Sadr receives direct orders to do so from his clerical advisers.

The leader of the Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri said the Mahdi Army needs to hand over its weapons if it wants to run in the October provincial elections, noting only the Mahdi Army and al-Qaida "carried weapons" against Iraqi security forces.

The Badr Organization is the armed wing of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council of Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim. Amiri also sits as an official in the Shiite coalition United Iraqi Alliance, which Hakim leads.

Mahdi Army commander Azheer al-Koufi reiterated the group's refusal to disarm, adding his militia is stronger than the Iraqi security forces, Voices of Iraq reported.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani, a Shiite in the United Iraqi Alliance, said the top security officers in Basra were removed from their posts and reassigned to positions in Baghdad.

A leading Iraqi commander said the Basra chief of police and other top officials were sent to Baghdad because their mission in Basra "had come to an end."

U.S. and British authorities approved of the moves.