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Iraq's top Shiite leader Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim returned to his home country Saturday, after 23 years of exile in Iran.
Al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Assembly for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SAIRI), crossed into Iraq at the border crossing on Iran's southwestern border and was greeted by a crowd of supporters.
Al-Hakim has been on exile in Iran for over 20 years. He has boycotted the US-sponsored meeting of Iraqi opposition leaders on April 15.
SAIRI, headquartered in neighboring Iran, is Iraq's largest Shiite Muslim opposition group and has been a source of tension between Tehran and Saddam's regime.
Iraq is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, with Shiite Muslims is estimated at making up 65 percent of the population of about 24 million.
(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2003)
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