Najaf Police deny reports of Sheikh Fadel Al-Badiri’s abduction

NAJAF — The Najaf Police Command dismissed Monday reports alleging that Sheikh Fadel Al-Badiri, a well-known and controversial religious leader, was abducted by an armed group from a local prison. Authorities labeled the claims as unfounded and intended to incite public confusion.

“The news circulating about the abduction of Sheikh Fadel Al-Badiri from one of the governorate’s prisons by an armed group is completely false,” the police stated. “All prisons and security facilities in Najaf operate under strict measures to ensure the safety of all detainees.”

The police further urged the media to verify information before reporting, emphasizing the potential for rumors to create unrest among citizens.

Sheikh Fadel Al-Badiri, a professor of jurisprudence, theology, and religious fundamentals at the Islamic seminary in Najaf, has been a contentious figure in recent years. On Dec. 11, 2024, a Najaf court sentenced him to five years in prison and imposed a fine of 1.5 million Iraqi dinars (approximately $1,000 USD) for falsely claiming religious authority. The court accused Al-Badiri of soliciting and accepting money from foreign individuals, actions deemed harmful to Iraq’s national interests.

Al-Badiri’s confrontations extend beyond his recent legal troubles. In 2017, he accused groups linked to Lebanese Hezbollah of orchestrating an assassination attempt after alleging that Hezbollah facilitated an agreement with ISIS to relocate fighters to Iraq’s borders. That same year, Al-Badiri survived a grenade attack on his vehicle in Najaf, sustaining head injuries.

On January 5, 2023, Al-Badiri traveled to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, at the organization’s headquarters in Mecca.

The Rafidain Center for Justice and Human Rights condemned the arrest of Sheikh Fadel Al-Badiri on Nov. 9, 2024, following his meeting with Mohammad Ali Al-Husseini, a Lebanese Shiite cleric and general secretary of the Arab Islamic Council in Lebanon, in Saudi Arabia. The center described the arrest as a “grave violation of human rights and freedom of expression” and called on the Iraqi government to release Al-Badiri. The center urged the United Nations to intervene to address ongoing violations against political opponents and activists.