Al-Taakhi reports that Basheer al-Jazairi, senior aide to Muqtada al-Sadr, has been shot dead on the way from Najaf to Baghdad.

IWPR provides the following through its Iraq Press Monitor:

A Sadr spokesman accused hardliners and henchmen of the former regime for the shooting. The spokesman also blamed the government for not providing enough security in the area of the shooting. It is worth mentioning that many prominent figures have been targeted in that area.
(Al-Taakhi is issued daily by the Kurdistan Democratic Party.)

I’m not sure who the “hardliners and henchmen of the former regime” might be. It’s been widely reported that Sadr leads an army of insurgents comprising some of both groups.

Food for thought.

UPDATE: Perhaps this news is related… or perhaps not. (via Instapundit)

MORE: IraqiPundit reports on the anti-Sadr demonstrations, and fills in some background.