Sheikh Khalid Al-Athary, a leading figure of the Huaza (religious institution for the Shiite Muslims) in Baghdad, decried the looting as "barbarous acts that contravene all heavenly religions."

Looting spread like a wild fire in Baghdad and other major cities controlled by the US-led forces, as government buildings, foreign compounds, shops and even hospitals were plundered in the past days.

Al-Athary insisted that most of these looters were in fact ex-prisoners who were set free from prisons shortly before the war outbreak.

He urged all Iraqis to join ranks and discard sectarianism to restore peace to the war-torn country.

The Hauza provided security in the holy city of Kazimya, Shaula and Al-Thura (formerly Saddam City) during Friday sermons, which called for end to the looting.

Some looters, in light of these sermons, started to give up what they looted to nearby mosques, Al-Athary indicated.

Asked about his views on the formation of a new government, Al-Athary said he hoped it will not be "biased against anybody on the basis of his political affiliation, religion or sect."

"We want that government to comprise all factions of different religions, whether that be Islam, Christianity or any other beliefs," he told Xinhua.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2003)