Updated at 8:30 p.m. EDT, May 5, 2010
At least nine Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded in light violence, as details of an agreement that could hasten the formation of the new government were leaked to the press.
The agreement between the State of Law and Iraqi National Alliance could signal a turn towards a virtual theocracy for Iraq. If it succeeds in helping the alliance create the new government, the terms would limit the power of the prime minister and make the marjaiya the final say in any disputes. The marjaiya are a group of Shi’ite clerics lead by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Although Shi’ite politicians have turned to the clerics for advice in the past, but this would make their decision binding. One of the current prime minister’s supporters denied the action would mean "rule by ayatollahs" as is seen in neighboring Iran.
State of Law plans on running current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for another term. Sunni politician Hamid al-Mutlaq of the Iraqiya list warned that isolating Sunni politicians could re-ignite sectarian warfare. A fear reiterated by Iraqiya head, Ayad Allawi. Iraqiya won two more seats that State of Law in March elections.
Meanwhile, Saleh al-Mutlaq, who was disqualified from participating in the parliamentary elections over thin allegations of ties to the Ba’ath Party, met with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and suggested Turkey play a significant role in fighting terrorism and stabilizing Iraq.
Gunmen killed four people, including a Sunni imam who was deputy head of the Council of Iraqi Scholars, during a shooting in Ameriya, west of Baghdad.
In Mosul, a policeman and his companion were killed during a shooting; a female bystander was also wounded. Gunmen killed a civilian. Four suspects were captured. No casualties were reported after a blast that targeted a senior policeman’s motorcade. Police found the body of a man who had been struck on the head. And, an arms cache was discovered.
One soldier was killed and two more were wounded during a roadside bomb blast in Anbar province’s Akashat region.
In Kirkuk, a bomb wounded two people, including a policeman. A thermal grenade struck a U.S. patrol, but no casualties were reported. Kurdish intelligence agents arrested a suspect.
A bomb targeting the chief of Kurdish intelligence in Touz wounded a bodyguard and two bystanders.
In Basra, no casualties were reported after a bombing. Fourteen suspects were detained.
Twenty suspects were captured in Baaj.
At least 17 suspects were arrested across Diyala province.
A stash of C4 was discovered in Buhriz.
Five members of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) were killed during clashes in Iran. Two more members were wounded. The PJAK are an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) focused on Iran.