BAGHDAD, Iraq - In taking on a radical Shi'ite cleric, Washington risks sparking a prolonged fight with his anti-American supporters. But Muqtada al-Sadr is not popular with most Shi'ites, and by acting now, the US could silence him and shut down his militia, scoring key victories ahead of the transfer of power to Iraqis on June 30.

Militiamen loyal to al-Sadr killed eight American soldiers and wounded 40 in clashes Sunday. On Monday, L. Paul Bremer, the top US official in Iraq, declared him an "outlaw," and a coalition spokesman announced a warrant for his arrest for the killing of a rival cleric last year.

Even President George W. Bush weighed in, saying al-Sadr is working against democracy.

The crackdown on al-Sadr's movement could spark further violence, and members of his "al-Mahdi Army" militia are vowing to resist any attempt to arrest their leader or dismantle their movement. US action could also push more young Shi'ites - already disillusioned with the American occupation - into supporting the 30-year-old al-Sadr.

But mainstream Shi'ite leaders and older clerics, who have often been vilified as traitors by al-Sadr followers for their more moderate stance toward the Americans, would likely be glad to see him silenced.

Al-Sadr's popularity is largely confined to several Shi'ite neighborhoods in Baghdad and a string of southern cities. Many Shi'ites view him as lacking the wisdom that comes with old age.

US officials appear to be betting the wider Shi'ite community won't side with the maverick cleric as they try to remove him. The US-led coalition's timing for a confrontation with al-Sadr and the cleric's choice of response - a series of peaceful demonstrations followed by Sunday's deadly clashes - are evidence of the mounting tensions in Iraq as the scheduled June 30 transfer of power to a sovereign Iraqi Government draws closer.

A US intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity Monday, said it's hard to say if the Shi'ite protesters inspired by al-Sadr are co-ordinating with the network of al-Qaida-linked Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi or other extremist groups.

"The protests are certainly in keeping with what Zarqawi is hoping to see happen. Whether they are specifically sponsoring it, it is harder to say at the moment."

Political, ethnic and religious groups are jockeying for position. With a general election due no later than January 31, a silent or an incarcerated al-Sadr would be a relief to many local politicians.

The showdown with al-Sadr began when Bremer ordered the movement's weekly newspaper closed for two months for inciting violence. On Saturday, coalition troops detained one of his closest aides, Mustafa al-Yacoubi.

Al-Yacoubi and al-Sadr face murder charges in the gruesome killing last year of rival cleric Abdel-Majid al-Khoei in the holy city of Najaf.

Iranian origins

Iraq's Shi'ite majority - unlike Sunni Arabs - has generally refrained from attacking US forces despite misgivings about American intentions.

Removing al-Sadr would be welcome news to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, the most powerful Shi'ite cleric in Iraq.

He has repeatedly been criticized by al-Sadr's aides over his Iranian origins and his relatively moderate stance on the US occupation. Al-Khoei was the son of al-Sistani's friend and mentor, Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei.

Al-Sadr's supporters surrounded al-Sistani's Najaf home after al-Khoei's murder in a bid to force him to flee the city. The elderly cleric sought the help of loyal tribal leaders, who rushed to his rescue. He has not left his home since.

Al-Sadr's decision last summer to set up the al-Mahdi Army militia added to the burden of the Americans, who are trying to persuade several political parties to disband their own militias or integrate them in security forces.

"If we can get rid of the Mahdi Army now I think the Iraq of July 1 will be better off," said Major General Martin Dempsey, commander of the US forces in Baghdad on Monday.

From the outset, al-Sadr's militancy has led to his exclusion from the political process. That and the widely held perception that many of his supporters are engaged in criminal activity have allowed moderate Shi'ite politicians and older clerics like al-Sistani to dominate the political scene.

Al-Sadr may have launched the strong response Sunday with the June 30 handover date in mind - seeking to show that Bremer cannot ignore him.

Al-Sadr has repeatedly asserted his indifference to formal political power, arguing that he only seeks a justly ruled Iraq and an end to US occupation. But such assertions ring hollow in Sadr City, a mainly Shi'ite Baghdad neighbourhood and a bastion of support for al-Sadr where residents complain of constant intimidation by his militiamen.

(Agencies via Xinhua)