Aides Say al-Sadr is in Iraq

Despite reports Tuesday saying Mookie had fled to Iran, aides claims he's laying low in Iraq. Whatever the case, he may want to visit a dentist sometime soon (photo courtesy of Gateway Pundit).

Radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is in Iraq and has not left for Iran, his aides said on Wednesday, after American officials suggested he may have departed to avoid an offensive against militants.

The conflicting reports over the anti-American cleric's whereabouts came after Iraq said on Tuesday it would close its borders with Iran and Syria and lengthen a night curfew in Baghdad to try to curb unrelenting violence in the capital.

Four of Sadr's aides said he was still in Iraq. Some said he was in the holy Shi'ite city of Najaf but had reduced public appearances for "security reasons." They did not elaborate.

Ideally, he'd be laying six feet low.

The youthful firebrand cleric has been keeping a low profile in recent months because of worsening security in Iraq. He normally lives in Najaf -- not Baghdad -- but his stronghold is the capital's sprawling Shi'ite slum called Sadr City.

Two U.S. officials in Washington spoke to Reuters about Sadr after the ABC News network reported he had fled to Iran because of fears he might be targeted by U.S. bombing raids and worries over his safety because of fracturing within his movement.