Shias say that last month's attacks by vandals in the American city of Detroit on two Shia community centres and some Shia-owned businesses were sectarian.

The capture of power by Iraq's long-oppressed Shias is perceived as having, for the first time in history, removed the main Arab bulwark against Persian expansion.

Thousands of people, mainly Shias, have not got their jobs back after being sacked for supporting the protests, despite the king's pledge that most would be reinstated.