The Post ( on Oct. 7) revealed a secret government memo that reputedly put all the blame for the August Shia battle in Karbala on the Sadrists. On hearing about the charges, levied by a commission led by former Ahmed Chalabi aide Mithal al-Alousi, an aide to Sadr said:

"There is no evidence against the Sadr movement. The people who started it all are linked to the Supreme Council, who are linked to Iranian intelligence. They get their salaries from Iran. Their homes are in Iran."