Mahdi

His Mahdi Army used to flaunt nationalist credentials in an effort not to be viewed as being in Iran's pocket.

CNN Anchor: Well after nearly a week of vicious fighting between Iraqi forces and Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army, a welcome cease-fire.

The hope was that these videos would get Muslims thinking the Mahdi -- the Islamic Messiah -- was coming.

He says he was threatened by the Mahdi Army, a militant Shiite group, and told to leave.

Although his Mahdi Army is a prime instigator of the violence, General Keane says a direct confrontation would be too risky.

Iraqi Army vehicles cross the concrete barrier dividing Sadr City, en route to the portion of the city controlled by the Mahdi Army.

Aliaa el-Mahdi, a 20-year-old university student in Cairo, has found a very different way to celebrate the Arab spring.

Fighting also erupted in the capital, Baghdad, between suspected Mahdi fighters and members of a rival Shiite faction.

This was the first time the prime minister singled out al-Sadr's Mahdi Army.

Somewhere, between praying for the Mahdi and driving off a cliff, lies the great mass of today's Iranians.

The prime minister's statement in a CNN interview marked the first time he publicly called for the disarmament of the Mahdi Army.

In the south new extremist groups are springing up and old ones like Mr Sadr's militia, the Mahdi Army, are reforming.

He also indicated that the Iranian government is paying some members of the private Mahdi army in Iraq.

Across Baghdad, especially on the city's east side, the Mahdi Army continues to operate from de facto safe havens.

Fighting also erupted in the capital Baghdad between suspected Mahdi fighters and members of rival Shiite faction.

SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Al-Mahdi, head of the Umma Party: Self determination is a decision by the people of Sudan to seek voluntary unity.

The Mahdi Army then swarmed into town and overran several police stations, levelling them with explosives.

There are reports that Mahdi army militias are harassing young men simply for wearing "western fashions" .

Some even fear that Mahdi fighters will again target women's rights activists, as they did in Basra in 2007 and 2008.

The mortars were a reminder that the Mahdi Army is waiting the Americans out, not giving way to them.

The relatives said members of the Shi'ite Mahdi Army militia came to the wife's home on October 23 and dragged Taei into their car.

"Mahdi Army" militia of Sadr's organization, from 2004 to 2007 of the US-led multinational force launched a series of attacks.

This is the vanguard of Hezbollah's youth movement, the Mahdi Scouts.

My name is Mahdi and I am 19 years old now.