"Shame on those who consider Baghdad's fall a national holiday," shouted the Iraqi demonstrators

Additional reporting by Hossam al-Sayed, IOL Chief Correspondent

BAGHDAD, July 18 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad Friday, July 18, against the U.S.-handpicked Governing Council and its decision to declare the day of Baghdad fall as a national holiday, as imams used their weekly sermons to accuse the body of planting seeds of civil strife.

"Shame on those who consider Baghdad's fall a national holiday," read one banner raised by angry demonstrators who converged on Um al-Qora mosque on the western fringes of Baghdad from several mosques in the capital after Friday prayers.

"It is a day of servitude," read another banner, referring to the day when American tanks rolled into Baghdad and declared the fall of the governing regime.

The new demonstration signals mounting Iraqis' frustration over the U.S. military's hollow promises to spread democracy and restore situation back to normal as soon as possible, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The jeering crowd also threatened to abandon the peaceful way of dealing with American troops "if they did not change their own," citing detention of religious scholars, intrusive house-to house searches and harassment of women.

"Revolt, revolt O Baghdad, let Bremer follow Nuri," they shouted, in reference to U.S. civil administrator Paul Bremer and Nuri as-Said, Iraq's prime minister under the monarchy who was killed by a mob when it was toppled in 1958.

The harsh criticism of the council came against the backdrop of mounting resistance attacks against U.S. troops and rising anti-American sentiments over the slow pace of improvement in the war-torn country and U.S. military provocations.

Few hours after Friday prayers, a  U.S. soldier was killed when a roadside bomb blew up as his convoy passed near the flashpoint town of Fallujah west of Baghdad, the US military said in a statement.

Sectarian

Sadr announced formation of a private militia called the "Mehdi army"

Expressing skepticism over the U.S. selection of the Council as a great step towards setting up a democratic government, Iraqi protestors said that it would plant seeds of rift in the sensitive fabric of the country.

"No to division into Sunnis and Shiites," read one banner, amid vows to "exterminate the infidel (U.S.) army."

The 25-member council, supposed to reflect Iraq's ethnic and confessional makeup, has 14 Shiite members and only four Sunnis.

"But Sunnis include Turkmen and Kurds beside Arabs, making them representing 50 per cent of the country's population," read a statement by Iraq's Council of Ulema, a body grouping Sunni religious scholars, which organized the demonstration.

"The group that was given a majority (on the council) does not make up a majority ... (even) among Muslims," the statement argued.

It said the Iraqi ulema believed the Governing Council had divided the people along sectarian lines, declaring "a certain community to be the majority ... without an accurate population census".

Um al-Qora mosque imam Hareth al-Dari, had lambasted the Governing Council, telling worshippers it was "rejected and unacceptable because it divides Iraq into groups and races.

"It is planting the seeds of hostility between the sons of this society. This council does not serve the interests of the people or the nation," he stressed.

"The crux of the problem is that the council also gave those who came from outside the country, and who are ignorant of our problems, concerns and suffering, seats on the body," said Sheikh Khalaf Issawi at Sheikh Abdul Kader al-Kilani mosque, in reference to former Iraqi exiles named to the council.

Observers ring bells that the council representation might fan feelings of sectarian discrimination in Iraq and further destabilize the already deteriorating situation.

Sunni sources told IslamOnline.net that followers of leading Shiite scholar Moqtada el-Sadr took over on Thursday, July 17, the Sunni waqfs (endowments) building in Basra.

They also added that some Shiite leaders had called for declaring the towns of An-Najaf and Karbala Shiite areas and expelling all Sunni inhabitants.

No To Occupation

In the meanwhile, el-Sadr denounced the U.S.-appointed governing body and the Anglo-American occupation of the country.

Sadr, who has emerged as a prominent figure in post-invasion Iraq, blasted "the illegitimate council created by the United States and their servants" in his first sermon since the 25-member body was inaugurated last Sunday.

"They have delivered this peaceful Muslim country to the foreign forces," he charged.

Sadr underlined that they are Shiite members on the council who do not represent the Shiite community such as Hamid Majid Moussa, leader of the Iraqi communist party, and Ahmed Chalabi of the Iraqi National Congress.

The Shiite leader announced the formation of a private militia called the "Mehdi army."

After the Friday prayers, thousands of Shiites in Kufa, 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Baghdad, called on the U.S. forces to pack up and leave, slamming the formation of the new Governing council.

"No to the United States, No, no to Israel, No, no to the Governing Council," the demonstrators chanted.