Mehdi Army to stop attacks and live in peace?

Influential Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr is expected to use Friday prayers to tell members of his Mehdi Army militia that they should stop carrying weapons for the time being.

Earlier this year, the Iraqi security forces with strong American and British backing targeted the militia in Baghdad, Basra and other parts of southern Iraq.

The areas where Moqtada Sadr has strong support have recently been quiet, but the Mehdi Army has retained its weapons.

The group's current strength and the degree of support for Moqtada Sadr are two of the great unanswered questions in Iraq today.